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Abstract

Demand for forest products continues to rise. Arkansas provides about 4% of the U.S. total forest production and about 12% of the south central region production. Questions exist about the ability of current forest resources to completely meet anticipated future demand. In 1985, the U.S. Forest Service and the Arkansas Timber Study Committee began to analyze the existing forest base to determine whether future demand could be met from the current forest, or if not, what management changes were needed to help meet future demand. In 1985, Arkansas forests covered approximately 48% of the total land area of the state. However, the forest land base has changed drastically over the last 20 years. Projections show that changes in forest acreage, ownership, and management types will continue for the next 40 years. Greatest changes in land ownership will occur in the nonindustrial private forest (NIPF) landowner sector. Forest industry lands will show the greatest changes in timber type. Public forest ownerships will continue to be a significant part of the state's total resource base, but will not undergo the significant changes of other sectors. This paper discusses these trends and the reasons for changes that are occurring.

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