The growth of forest industry manufacturing in the South 
over the past 4 decades has relied primarily on the pine 
resource. Softwood timber removals nearly doubled between 
1962 and 1984 (fig. 1.13), while the number of acres in 
pine plantations nearly tripled. Hardwood removals remained 
relatively constant until the late 1970’s, when fuelwood de- 
mands increased sharply with the rise in oil prices and 
technological developments expanded the use of hardwoods 
for woodpulp and for structural panels, such as waferboard 
and oriented strand board. 
Softwoods 
Billion cubic feet 
6 
5 
4 
3 
1 Hardwoods 
1950 1955 1960 1965 1970 1975 1980 1985 
Figure 1.13—Timber removals in the South, by softwoods 
and hardwoods, 1952-84 
The Importance of the South for Forest Industries 
Nationwide 
The growth of new sectors of forest industry in the South 
has enhanced its position as a major producer of forest prod- 
ucts on a national scale. The South leads the West, North 
Central, and Northeast in the value added from the manu- 
facture of both solid wood and wood-fiber products as well 
as wood furniture. In 1982, the Southern States accounted 
for 57 percent of total employment in the manufacture of 
wood furniture and fixtures, 40 percent of employment in 
the manufacture of lumber and other solid wood products, 
and 29 percent of employment in pulp, paper, and paper- 
board manufacturing. Employment, wages and salaries, value 
of shipments, and value added by manufacture for all for- 
est industries in the South represented approximately one- 
third of forest industry activities nationwide. 
In summation, it is clear that forests and forest industries 
are of great importance to the economy and society of the 
South. It is also clear that they have been increasing in 
importance in recent decades. Material in the following 
chapter describes the longrun changes in the forest resource 
and the policies and programs—fire protection, technical and 
financial assistance, research, education, and management 
of private and public timberlands—that have brought the for- 
ests in the South to their present state of productivity. 
