Forestry Industry

Alabama is ranked No. 2 in pulp production and its 22.8 million acres of private timber ranks third among U.S. states.

Alabama's timber harvests are evenly divided between hardwoods and softwoods, but softwood timber accounts for approximately 83% of wood processed. The state's 23 million acres of commercially available timberland give Alabama the third greatest timberland acreage of the lower 48 states, and these forests cover 71% of the state's land area. In 2023, $1.4 billion of forest products were exported.

Of the almost $2 billion in Alabama forestry exports, close to $1 billion of that total sum is in paper, while Solid wood product exports were valued at well over $400 million in 2023.

These figures, more than any other metric, capture the depth and breadth of forestry in Alabama. As the state's second-largest manufacturing industry, forest production in our state is in a period of abundant growth. The industry employs over 40,000 people, which represents a stout workforce that has grown in response to the industry's growth.

The state's timberland area has increased by 1.4 million acres during the last 30 years.

Oak and hickory are the most prevalent hardwood species found throughout the state, and they're concentrated in the northern region of Alabama from Tuscaloosa and Birmingham to Huntsville. The state's center and southern portions support most of our commercial pine forests, which include loblolly and shortleaf pine, with some longleaf and slash pine.

At more than 37 billion cubic feet of standing timber, Alabama has recorded its largest timber inventory in its history. And these well-managed forests are growing about 40% more timber than is harvested for production. That's, in part, a credit to Alabama's industry leaders, including Georgia-Pacific, International Paper, Weyerhaeuser, WestRock and Kimberly-Clark. These companies are behind the positive impact forestry has made on our local communities, particularly the economic health of our rural towns and counties. Conversely, industry leaders have benefited from these communities and their distinguishing resources.

To learn more about locating and growing your forestry company in Alabama, please contact: