Cutting Activity on West Virginia Timberlands

Abstract

Abstract A recently completed forest inventory and woodland owner survey have given us insight into contemporary cutting activities in West Virginia. About one-third of the private woodland owners have harvested timber from their holdings at some time in the past and they control two-thirds of the private timberland. Although timber harvesting has increased in recent years, it remains a concentrated activity. Remeasured plot data show that only 24% of the timberland had cutting disturbance between the last two inventories. Four-fifths of the cutting took place on one-tenth of the timberland. The timber resource is ripe for more cutting, landowner attitudes have changed to favor increased harvesting, and recent government initiatives support a climate for timber development. There is no denying that physical supplies of timber and landowner intentions reveal a potential opportunity for significant expansion in wood use. North. J. Appl. For. 9(4):146-148.