North Carolina Forests include highly diverse forest ecosystems that support a very strong forest industry in the state, producing forest products from medicines to log homes. The state includes approximately 18.4 million acres of forestland, 61% of the total land area. Approximately 82% of this forestland is owned by private landowners, which supplies timber for a significant portion of the state’s overall industrial output.
The Appalachian Mountains include highly diverse forest ecosystems, from the table mountain pine and chestnut oak stands on rocky outcrops to the lush yellow-poplar cove sites and mixed oak and hickory stands along the lower elevations. The region produces some of the highest-quality hardwood lumber in the United States.
North Carolina Forest includes highly diverse forest ecosystems, from the longleaf pine stands in the eastern part of the state to the sub-alpine spruce forests on the highest ridges of western North Carolina. The forest ecosystem in the state's mountains includes over one hundred and fifty overstory tree species, making it one of the most diverse forest ecosystems in the world.
Managing your forestland can be an excellent long-term investment. Depending on the initial costs, markets, and various factors affecting productivity, income from managed forest stands could be substantial over the years.