The nation’s forest land area remains stable, but the composition and distribution of those forests is changing. The data supporting this assertion, along with other information on the status, condition, and trends in the nation’s forest resources, are available in the USDA Forest Service’s recently released report Forest Resources of the United States, 2017, and originate from the USDA Forest Service Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) Program. The report is a supporting document to the upcoming 2020 Resources Planning Act (RPA) Assessment that is mandated by Congress every 10 years.
The Forest Resources of the United States report guides public and private investment dollars through forest health programs, recreation, tourism industries, and harvesting operations. This webinar will review some of the key findings, in addition to highlighting the scope of information available in the report and associated data tables. The report found that U.S. forest area – including lands covered by forest as well as the small woody species that grow in arid regions – has plateaued at 822.5 million acres.
