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: [email protected] Phone (865) 862-2053
Ray Sheffield: [email protected] 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!