A new national study shows that timber sales are increasing in Wisconsin and more people are working in the state’s forestry industry.
The study shows that last month,employment in Wisconsin’s forestry sector grew by nearly 5% from 2010 to 2016, totaling 174,848. The state’s timber sales increased by nearly 10% to $21.6 billion in 2016, the most recent year that comprehensive data is available.
Henry Schienebeck is director of Great Lakes Timber Professionals Association. He attributes growth in the industry in part to the production of more saw timber, the high-quality wood that’s used in hardwood flooring.
High quality wood is a necessity in the world of forestry. There are woods that are prone to defects easily, invasion of insects and lacks strength properties. One of the major concerns of workers in the forest industry is the availability of timbers that are of high quality and thus attracts more customers.
Nevertheless, indiscriminate cutting or felling down of trees is not allowed. Proper policy should be put in place to control felling of trees for timber processing and also establish the need for reafforestation.
Forest industry is a prolific sector which cuts across many sectors. In lieu of this, forestry is one sector that is employer of labour not only in the timber area but in other areas such as climate mitigation, development of Forest policy, ethnoforestry, environment impact assessment etc.
There is future in the forest industry.!
