Forest Products and Best Management Practices
A $5.7 Billion Industry
Missouri was a leader in lumber production at the turn of the century when the Ozarks' pine forests were logged. Through forest protection and management, Missouri is once again a leader in forest products, including charcoal, barrels, walnut nutmeats and shell products, and red cedar gift items. For many communities, wood products are the mainstay of the local economy. Statewide, nearly 2,500 firms are involved in logging and wood-products manufacturing. These businesses employ more than 32,000 people and contribute $5.7 billion each year to Missouri's economy.
If you're in one of Missouri's wood-products businesses, this minisite helps you find forest-industry directories and best practices for managing, harvesting and protecting your woodlot and forest resources.
Some woodland owners sell their timber for only a fraction of its value because they do not market it properly. This page leads you through eight steps to get the most return from your timber sale.
The Mill Information Database contains information about lumber mills in Missouri. You may search by mill name or county for tree species purchased and products milled.
Want to improve your forest or woodlot management? Get our help! We offer two levels of assistance based on your need and interest in long-term forest management. The two levels are Advisory Service and Management Service.
The Department recognizes and appreciates loggers who use best practices to harvest timber in ways that are economically, ecologically and socially sustainable. Find out how loggers of the year are chosen and browse stories about current and past loggers of the year.
These best management practices provide recommendations designed to protect the forest that the citizens of Missouri rely on for jobs, clean air and water, diverse wildlife habitat, scenic beauty, outdoor recreation and tourism.
Find information and examples for calculating timber product gains and losses for tax reporting purposes.
Track the price of timber in Missouri with this quarterly report.
Fully 58 percent of all timber harvested in the United States comes from the nonindustrial private woodlands, that is, land owned by individuals, not the government or timber companies. Learn about the benefits of tree farming and how to get started.
Black walnut is the most valuable and sought-after tree in the Midwest. It occurs naturally on almost every farm, but markets for crooked, limby, short-bodied walnuts are poor. It only pays to grow high-quality trees. This page shows you how.
