Forest Inventory and Analysis Report released

Contact:  Lynn Brammer 502-564-4496

Frankfort, Ky. (April 4, 2008) – The Kentucky Division of Forestry announces the availability of the Kentucky Forest Inventory and Analysis Report published by the U.S. Forest Service’s Southern Research Station.  The document is the official report of the data from the fifth survey of Kentucky’s forest resources, which was completed in 2004.  The report includes data on the extent, condition and classification of forest land in Kentucky.  Data on timber volumes, growth, removals and mortality rates are also described and interpreted.  The information presented in the report is invaluable to foresters, students, researchers and anyone interested in Kentucky’s forest resources. 

Kentucky’s forests have been inventoried since 1949 and the last inventory report was issued in 1988.  The current inventory report is based on field work that began in 1999 as a project between the Kentucky Division of Forestry and the Southern Research Station.  Annual surveys are conducted statewide and the data are sent directly to the Forest Service in Knoxville, Tenn.

Leah MacSwords, director of the Kentucky Division of Forestry, recognized the field crew that collected the data.

“The field crewmembers collected data on a daily basis to determine the health, quality and quantity of Kentucky’s forests,” MacSwords said. “Their efforts deserve our appreciation.”        

A summary of the inventory data indicates that forests occupy 47 percent of Kentucky’s total land area.  Since 1988, Kentucky’s forest land has decreased an estimated 729,000 acres to about 11.97 million acres.  Privately owned timberland occupies 11.6 million acres, which is a 3 percent decrease from the 12.3 million acres reported in the 1988 inventory.  The loss in timberland was expected, considering the increase in population in Kentucky since the last inventory report.  Despite less forest acreage, the volume of all live trees on timberland increased 28 percent since 1988.  Yellow-poplar and white oak remain the most abundant species by volume on forest land.   

For more information about the forest inventory analysis report, visit the U.S. Forest Service Southern Research Station’s Web site at www.srsfia2.fs.fed.us and the Kentucky Division of Forestry’s Web site at www.forestry.ky.gov/news/.