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This is Forest Products Week, aimed at emphasizing the important role forest products play both economically and as a sustainable natural resource, especially in Michigan and Wisconsin.
"Michigan has abundant and diverse forests across the state that provide the renewable raw material for our diverse forest products industries," said Bill O'Brion, general manager at Lyme Great Lakes Timberlands. "These industries produce a wide array of products, ranging from bioenergy to paper, lumber, flooring, and furniture. The skilled workers in our manufacturing, logging and transportation sectors are the backbone of our industry. The good news is we continue to grow more wood than we use in the state, so there is ample opportunity to continue to expand the forest products economy and the jobs it creates."
Based on 2019 data, Michigan's forest products industries provide direct employment to almost 42,000 people, leading to $13.4 billion in economic output, according to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. That same year, direct labor income was $2.8 billion and direct value-added was $3.8 billion. In total contributions -- direct, indirect and induced -- these industries support more than 90,000 jobs, $5.5 billion in labor income, $8.3 billion in value-added and about $22 billion in total output.
Since 2014, the direct jobs in forest products industries increased by 9.7%, direct output increased by 15.7%, value-added increased by almost 22%, labor income increased by 23.5% and average wages per job increased by 12.5%, the DNR states on its website.
In Wisconsin, more than 61,000 men and women work in the forest products industry, according to the Wisconsin DNR.
"The forest products industry positively impacts our everyday lives," said Collin Buntrock, Wisconsin DNR Forest Products team leader. "Everything from lumber to build houses, furniture, and pallets to paper, heating fuel and chewing gum; it all started in the forest."
And as scientists sound alarms about climate change, forests and the forest products industry provide many benefits in combating that threat -- forests store carbon, offsetting greenhouse gas emissions. Even after trees have been harvested and turned into forest products, they retain the carbon they stored while living, according to the Wisconsin DNR.
In addition to the products and ecosystem services provided by the forest products industry, this sector greatly affects both states' economies.
In Wisconsin, "the forest products industry contributes $24.4 billion in goods and services and provides $6.9 billion in value-added output," Buntrock said. "On top of the monetary contribution to the state's economy, the industry accounts for 3.6% of state employment and represents almost 11.4% of total manufacturing jobs. In 31 counties, the forest products industry is one of the top ten employers. Every 100 jobs in the forest products industry sector support an additional 123 jobs in the other sectors of the economy."
More than half of Michigan is forested, and 95% of that forest land can be used for the production of timber, a renewable and sustainably managed resource, according to the Michigan DNR. The state manages 21% of forest land. Forests in Michigan are managed for timber production, wildlife habitat, watershed protection, biodiversity conservation and recreation.
As the Wisconsin DNR notes, "Sustainable forestry is key to ensuring the economic, social, and ecological benefits of the forest products industry. By managing sustainability, forest products remain a renewable resource benefiting future generations."