Timber and Forestry
Timber and Beyond
Operations involved in forestry and logging, which includes growing and harvesting timber on a long production cycle (i.e., of 10 years or more) or gathering of forest products, such as resins, barks, fibers, Spanish moss, and pinestraw. Such operations require natural forest or suitable areas of land for planting that are available for a long duration. Maturation time for timber depends on the species of tree, climatic conditions, and the intended purpose of the timber. Timber harvesting typically requires specialized machinery that is unique to the industry.
As of 2023, Florida had 16.90 million acres of forest land (40% of total land area), of which 14.83 million is timberland.
Acreage by Forest Type Group (2023)
5,319,416
3,803,048
2,662,244
1,789,988
1,610,102
Direct Economic Contributions (2022)
$631 million
5,089
When considering multiplier effects, Florida’s forestry and logging operations support $1.23 billion in sales revenue and 9,587 jobs throughout the state’s economy.
Sources
USDA/FS Forest Inventory and Analysis Database, September 17, 2024. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Northern Research Station. St. Paul, MN. Available at: https://apps.fs.usda.gov/fia/datamart/datamart.html
“Economic Contributions of Agriculture, Natural Resource, and Food Industries in Florida in 2022.” Economic Impact Analysis Program, University of Florida-IFAS, Food & Resource Economics Department, Gainesville, FL, 2024. Available at: fred.ifas.ufl.edu/extension/economic-impact-analysis-program/florida-ag-food-and-resources