We all know that trees provide many useful products: lumber for building construction, furniture, paneling, cabinetry, and flooring, as well as paper of all sorts. But tree products go far beyond wood and paper. You might be surprised at just how many tree products you use every day, and where they are found. In fact, wood products are so prevalent that each American uses an estimated 100-foot tree’s worth each year.
Forestry is Virginia’s third leading industry, generating more than $21 billion and employing more than 108,000 people. Forest products and markets for those products support rural economies across the state and are vital to helping landowners keep their land in forest. Ensuring that forest landowners have a financial incentive to maintain, manage, and protect their forests helps sustain Virginia’s forestland. Surveys show that most landowners do not own forestland primarily for timber income, but any significant conversion of forestland to another land use happens for financial reasons. The more forest products we use as a society, the more options landowners have to generate income when they need it and the less incentive they have to convert their forest to another land use. And, tax revenue from Virginia forest products tax helps fund reforestation.
Virginia’s forest products industry benefits from today’s informed consumers, who often look to buy local Virginia-Grown forest products and want to know they are buying forest-related products that were grown, harvested, and processed sustainably (forest certification).
Trees support clean air and water, and provide robust habitat and economic benefits; forest markets are essential to sustaining well-managed forests.
Read more…
- Forest certification
- Virginia Grown forest products
- Specialty forest products
- Virginia Forest Products Tax
Additional Resources
| Image | Title | ID | Description | Content Type | View | hf:tax:document-category | hf:tax:Media |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Forest Products Tax Collected Chart | Line chart shows the forest products tax collected in Virginia over a 5-year time frame. | Graphic | View | forest-inventory-analysis forest-management resource-information | graphic | |
 | Forest Utilization and Marketing Program – Working to Develop and Promote Forest Markets | FT0058 | Forestry topic information sheet provides information about the mission and services of the DOF Forest Utilization and Marketing Program and how DOF works to support and promote Virginia’s forest products industry while maintaining a sustainable forest resource. | Publication | View | marketing-and-utilization | publication |
 | Forestry Workforce Development – Working to Develop a Strong Workforce for the Future | FT0057 | Forestry topic information sheet provides information about developing workforce training programs for forestry sectors throughout Virginia, position availability and how businesses can assist in meeting demand. | Publication | View | marketing-and-utilization | publication |
 | Forests of Virginia, 2014 | SRS-094 | Report provides an overview of forest resources in Virginia updated by means of the Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) annualized sample design. Produced in coordination with the USDA Forest Service. | Publication | View | forest-inventory-analysis marketing-and-utilization resource-information | publication |
 | From Trees to Products – We Depend on Trees for Many Everyday Products | FT0034 | Forestry topic information sheet provides information about the products we get from trees, including solid wood products, wood pulp products and products from other tree parts. | Publication | View | marketing-and-utilization | publication |
 | Potential Value-added Products from Wildfire Fuel Mitigation Projects in Eastern Virginia | P00120 | This report presents the conclusions of a study, which was initiated to examine the feasibility of increasing the utilization of small diameter (1 – 9 inches) and low-value timber to create economic opportunities in eastern Virginia, while reducing wildfire risks in the Suburban/Rural Interface. The desired results will be to generate interest from current industries that wish to expand operations, attract new entrepreneurs, and inform interested parties of the potential economic advantages of utilizing these materials. | Publication | View | marketing-and-utilization | publication |
 | Serving 2.0 Veterans in the Urban Forest – Success Stories | FT0038 | Forestry topic information sheet provides success stories relating to veterans finding opportunity with urban wood to serve our communities again through their small forestry businesses. | Publication | View | marketing-and-utilization | publication |
 | The Future of Woodcrafting – Success Stories | FT0053 | Forestry topic information sheet discusses the future of woodworking, including success stories in development of wood technology training and programs in schools. | Publication | View | marketing-and-utilization | publication |
 | The Value of Virginia’s Forests | P00100 | Brochure summarizes the economic impact of agriculture and forestry in Virginia, as reported in the full report “The Economic Impact of Agriculture and Forestry on the Commonwealth of Virginia” published by the Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service at the University of Virginia. | Publication | View | marketing-and-utilization | publication |
 | Timber Product Output and Use for Virginia, 2011 | SRS-098 | Report summarizes timber product output and use for Virginia as a result of surveys completed. Produced in coordination with the USDA Forest Service. | Publication | View | forest-inventory-analysis marketing-and-utilization resource-information | publication |
 | Timber Product Output and Use for Virginia, 2013 | SRS-114 | Report summarizes timber product output and use for Virginia as a result of surveys completed. Produced in coordination with the USDA Forest Service. | Publication | View | forest-inventory-analysis marketing-and-utilization resource-information | publication |
 | Timber Product Output and Use for Virginia, 2015 | SRS-129 | Report summarizes timber product output and use for Virginia as a result of surveys completed. Produced in coordination with the USDA Forest Service. | Publication | View | forest-inventory-analysis marketing-and-utilization resource-information | publication |
 | Timber Product Output and Use for Virginia, 2017 | FS-277 | Report summarizes timber product output and use for Virginia as a result of surveys completed. Produced in coordination with the USDA Forest Service. | Publication | View | forest-inventory-analysis marketing-and-utilization resource-information | publication |
 | Timber Product Output and Use for Virginia, 2018 | FS-293 | Report summarizes timber product output and use for Virginia as a result of surveys completed. Produced in coordination with the USDA Forest Service. | Publication | View | forest-inventory-analysis marketing-and-utilization resource-information | publication |
 | Timber Product Output and Use for Virginia, 2019 | FS-306 | Report summarizes timber product output and use for Virginia as a result of surveys completed. Produced in coordination with the USDA Forest Service. | Publication | View | forest-inventory-analysis marketing-and-utilization resource-information | publication |
 | Timber Product Output and Use for Virginia, 2020 | FS-357 | Report summarizes timber product output and use for Virginia as a result of surveys completed. Produced in coordination with the USDA Forest Service. | Publication | View | forest-inventory-analysis marketing-and-utilization resource-information | publication |
 | Trees with a Future – Success Stories | FT0037 | Forestry topic information sheet provides success stories relating to veterans finding opportunity with urban wood to serve our communities again through their small forestry businesses. | Publication | View | marketing-and-utilization | publication |
 | Virginia Grown Forest Products Program Promotional Materials Order | 11.01 | Form | View | marketing-and-utilization | form |
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