U.S. Forest Cover Analysis Confirms Significant Decrease in Clearing Rate

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Lanworth, Chicago, Ill., USA, a natural resource intelligence provider, has updated its forest inventory analysis to reflect recent changes in rates of forest usage in the Southeastern U.S. The analysis has confirmed upwards of a 50% reduction in rates of harvested acres in some active forest markets, compared with an equivalent time span from 2004-2007. Recent economic changes have decreased the need for lumber in the U.S. and Lanworth's recent update of forest cover captures the impact of the economic downturn on available forest product.

"Knowing the rate of available forest cover is strategically very important for our clients. Using our data allows clients to reduce their procurement cost by targeting their fiber procurement activities or locating harvest operations at the most optimal location," Shailu Verma, Lanworth's president and founder said. "Many in the industry rely on USFS FIA analysis, which was captured during the rise of the housing market and does not represent current forest age status."

Lanworth's Forest Age Maps show current forest age and allow users to identify the most profitable target at a time when minimizing costs is essential. The implications of the rapid rise and fall of the housing market will impact available forest product for the next decade, Lanworth notes.

"We find the current and accurate information provided by Lanworth to be an important data source for our wood procurement business. We have used Lanworth's data to focus our procurement activities in the ongoing effort to reduce the total delivered cost of wood fiber into our mills," said Jay Watrous, general operations leader, Wood Supply, Temple Inland.

More information about the Lanworth analysis of 2010 forest cover is available on the company’s website.