More than half of Connecticut is forest land, but those scenic and wildlife preserves also are a generous source of income for the state and some residents, a recent study shows.
The North East State Foresters Association calculates that Connecticut’s forests gross $3.3 billion annually for the state’s economy through harvesting of forest products ($2.1 billion) and as recreation outlets ($1.2 billion).
They also support jobs for 8,200 workers who work in the forest-products industry, plus 4,600 recreation-related jobs, the association said in its study released Monday by the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection. DEEP oversees the state’s estimated 1.8 million acres of forestland, nearly three-quarters of which is family owned.
According to DEEP, Connecticut grows approximately 96 million cubic feet of timber annually, with approximately 13.7 million cubic of timber harvested annually.
“Connecticut’s forests make up 56 percent of the land area of our state and are very much a signature characteristic that forms the basis for the enviable quality of life we enjoy here,” DEEP Commissioner Robert Klee said. “We must focus on sustainable management of the important resource our woodlands represent, especially in the face of new threats presented by climate change, so that we may continue to benefit from the environmental, economic, and recreational advantages they offer.”
DEEP said the foresters association’s report is a first of its kind for Connecticut and is similar to ones published for Maine, Massachusetts, New York, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont.
The report analyzes trends for key economic indicators related to forestry including logging, related trucking, wood products manufacturing, wood furniture, and related products manufacturing, pulp and paper, wood energy, and forest based recreation including camping, hiking, hunting, skiing, and fall foliage and wildlife viewing.
