Forest Products

Maine’s forest products industry is a well-diversified, mature sector comprised of forest owners, timber harvesters, haulers, and processors. The sector contributes roughly one-third of Maine’s total manufacturing output, and has served as an economic mainstay of the state’s economy and many rural communities for nearly two centuries. Maine’s forests are highly productive and represent a renewable resource under long-term sustainable management. And while concerns have been expressed over large shifts in ownership from the forest industry to a variety of institutional and private investors, harvests over time appear to be sustainable, providing a secure resource base for the sector. This conclusion is supported by some of the highest rates of third-party environmental certification of forest lands and practices in the Nation -- 57% of all Maine woodlands.