A Smart Investment: Southern State Forestry Programs Power American Jobs and Economic Growth

When just over 3% of the Forest Service’s discretionary budget flows to southern state forestry programs, it generates an extraordinary return: over $250 billion in annual economic impact and supports 400,000 forestry jobs nationwide earning $53 billion in wages.

A Job-Creating Engine That Works

The forestry sector employs Americans across the country: mill workers in Georgia, equipment operators in Alabama, truck drivers in Tennessee and construction workers using southern wood products in every state. These aren’t just statistics. They represent families with mortgages, communities with tax bases and regions with economic vitality.

Southern forests alone, most of which are owned privately, account for 40% of these jobs while producing over 90% of U.S. timber output. This remarkable success stems from a proven partnership model: federal investment that enables southern states to deliver national forestry objectives through their deep local expertise and established networks with private landowners, businesses and organizations.

Beyond Direct Employment

Every forestry job supports additional employment across the economy. Equipment manufacturers, transportation companies, construction firms and countless other businesses depend on the forestry sector’s economic vitality. When federal State, Private & Tribal Forestry (SPTF) funding helps a private landowner manage their forest more effectively, it strengthens supply chains that reach city centers, suburban developments, rural communities and export markets worldwide.

The ripple effects extend through port cities shipping timber products overseas, manufacturing centers producing wood-based goods and construction sites using American lumber. This isn’t solely about local economic development either, it’s about maintaining America’s competitive position in global markets while supporting jobs in communities nationwide.

Federal Investment That Leverages Private Capital

The genius of the federal-state forestry model lies in its ability to deliver results efficiently. Rather than creating more red tape, southern state forestry agencies serve as an efficient and cost-effective implementation arm for national forest policy, using their existing infrastructure and local relationships to achieve federal objectives. Southern state forestry agencies use federal support to work with private landowners who own nearly 90% of southern forests, helping them improve productivity, access new markets and implement sustainable practices that ensure long-term economic viability.

This partnership approach has helped make the South the world’s leading supplier of sustainable wood products, driving billions in export revenue and attracting international investment to American communities. State agencies are actively supporting emerging markets like mass timber construction and advanced wood products, creating tomorrow’s jobs while maintaining traditional markets and economic stability.

The Value of Continued Partnership

The success of southern state forestry programs demonstrates how states can efficiently deliver federal forest policy objectives through sustained partnership. These programs represent a proven model where federal investment enables states to implement national priorities through their established networks of technical assistance, market development and landowner support.

Maintaining this investment allows states to expand successful programs, adapt to new challenges and seize emerging opportunities in forest product markets. The infrastructure of relationships and expertise that has developed over decades provides a strong foundation for continued economic growth and job creation.

This proven model shows how strategic federal investment can support thriving private sector activity while maintaining the flexibility and local knowledge that make these programs so effective.

A Clear Return on Investment

For policymakers focused on fiscal responsibility and economic growth, federal-state forestry partnerships in the South offer compelling evidence of success:

• Immediate Economic Impact: $250+ billion annually in economic activity
• Job Creation: 400,000+ forestry jobs generating $53 billion in wages
• Export Revenue: Billions in international sales strengthening America’s trade position
• Private Sector Leverage: Federal investment multiplied by state partnerships and private capital
• Proven Track Record: decades of measurable results and continuous improvement

The Bottom Line

Federal-state forestry partnerships represent exactly the kind of investment that delivers measurable results for American workers and communities. They leverage private sector partnerships, create good-paying jobs across the country, maintain America’s global competitiveness and generate tax revenue that far exceeds the initial investment.