Forest Inventory and Analysis

Southern Research Station

USDA Forest Service

Forest Inventory and AnalysisKentucky — 2003

1949, 1963, 1975, 1988, 2003

The current goal is to update the FIA data approximately every 12-18 months.

FIA will no longer collect periodic inventories 12-15 years apart.

All data are statistical estimates and have associated sampling errors that are available separately.

Forest Inventories in Kentucky

State Wide Statistics, Kentucky

Nonforest

Hardwood

Pine

Mixed Hardwood & Pine

Land Area by Land Class, Kentucky

20031988

25.4 million acre land base

Trends in Area of Timberland,Kentucky

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

Milli

on

acr

es

.

1949 1963 1975 1988 2003

Year

11.4 11.7 11.9 12.311.6

Area of Timberland by Forest Type Group, Kentucky

Oak-hickoryWhite pine & loblolly-shortleaf pine & eastern red cedar

Oak-pineOak-gum-cypress & elm-ash-cottonwoodMaple-beech-birch

1988 2003

Trends in Area of Planted Stands by Forest Type, Kentucky

1.0% of timberland area

0.4% of timberland area

Area of Timberland by OwnershipClass, Kentucky

11.6 million acres

20031988

12.3 million acres

Area of Timberland by Other Private Ownership Class and Forest Tract Size Class, Kentucky

Area of Timberland by Stand Size Class, Kentucky

Stand Age Structure on Timberland, Kentucky

Trends in Volume of Growing Stock Trees on Timberland, Kentucky

7.79.3

13.516.0

18.6

NOTE: The 1949 and 1963 estimates were adjusted in 1975. The 1975 estimate was adjusted in 1988.

Trends in Volume of Growing Stock Trees on Timberland by Diameter Class, Kentucky

Trends in Volume of Sawtimber Trees on Timberland, Kentucky

NOTE: The 1949 and 1963 estimates were adjusted in 1975. The 1975 estimate was adjusted in 1988.

Hardwood Sawtimber Volume on Timberland by Tree Grade, Kentucky

2003

Grade 1

Grade 2

Grade 3

Grade 4

Grade 5

1988

Average Annual Gross Growth and Mortality of Growing Stock Trees, Kentucky

Average Annual Net Growth and Removals of Growing Stock Trees, Kentucky

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

1950-1963 1964-1975 1976-1988 1989-2003

Net GrowthRemovals

2.9 2.6 2.1 1.5Growth/Removal Ratio

Average Annual Gross Growth, Mortality, and Removals of All Live vs Growing Stock Trees, Kentucky

Average Annual Gross Growth, Removals, and Mortality of Sawtimber Trees, Kentucky

Growth and Removals vs Total Volume of Growing Stock Trees on Timberland, Kentucky

13.5

16.0

18.6

0.39 0.38 0.470.15 0.18 0.31

Annual Removal Volume of Growing Stock Trees by Owner Class, Kentucky

Annual Removal Volume of Growing Stock Trees by Current Land Use, Kentucky

Tree volume removed annually that was on timberland in 1988, but has since been converted to a nonforest land use.

Tree volume removed annually since 1988 and land use is still in timberland.

Kentucky FIA Survey Units

Forest Area Percent by County, Kentucky 2003

Percent Change in Forest Area by County, Kentucky 1988-2003

Kentucky’s Forestland in Context

Number of Growing Stock Trees on Timberland by Diameter Class, Kentucky

Percent Change in Number of Growing Stock Trees on Timberland by Diameter Class 1988-2003, Kentucky

Number of All Live Trees on Timberland by Diameter Class, Kentucky

Percent Change in Number of All Live Trees on Timberland by Diameter Class 1988-2003, Kentucky

Area of Timberland, Kentucky

1988 Timberland “bucket” was

12.3 million acres

2003 Timberland “bucket” was

11.6 million acres

Volume of Growing Stock Trees on Timberland, Kentucky

1988 Growing stock volume

was 11.5 billion cubic feet

2003 Growing stock volume was

18.6 billion cubic feet

Average Annual Net Growth of Growing Stock Trees on Timberland, Kentucky

1988 Annual net growth was 384

million cubic feet

2003 Annual net growth was 469

million cubic feet

Average Annual Removals of Growing Stock Trees on Timberland, Kentucky

1988

Removals were 181 million cubic

feet

2003 Removals were 312 million

cubic feet

Annual Net Growth and Removal Rates of Hardwood Species, Kentucky

Species Net Growth Removal G/R RatioYellow-poplar 80.2 45.2 1.8Select white oaks 58.8 39.0 1.5Other red oaks 43.9 44.2 1.0Hickory 41.5 20.5 2.0Other white oaks 37.4 24.2 1.5Soft maple 36.3 13.6 2.7Hard maple 31.9 18.1 1.8Select red oaks 28.8 24.4 1.2Ash 20.8 10.9 1.9Sycamore 11.3 6.9 1.6Sweetgum 9.9 3.6 2.8Beech 9.6 6.7 1.4Other hardwoods 31.8 31.8 1.0Total hardwood 442.2 289.0 1.5

Annual Net Growth and Removal Rates of Softwood Species, Kentucky

Species Net Growth Removal G/R RatioRed cedars 8.4 8.4 1.0Pitch pine 3.9 2.2 1.7Eastern hemlock 3.8 0.8 4.8Loblolly pine 3.4 0.3 10.5Virginia pine 2.8 9.7 0.3Shortleaf pine 2.6 1.3 2.0Eastern white pine 2.5 0.0 N/ATotal softwood 27.4 22.7 1.2

Summary, Kentucky 2003

• 3% loss in forestland

• Gain in large size trees• Increase in overall tree volume• Slight gain in tree grade quality

• Growth and removal rates both increased with growth still outpacing removals

Jeff Turner: jturner02@fs.fed.us Phone (865) 862-2053

Ray Sheffield: rsheffield@fs.fed.us Phone (828) 257-4358

Southern FIA web site http://srsfia2.fs.fed.us

National FIA web site http://fia.fs.fed.us

US Forest Service Contacts

Thank you Kentucky field crew!