The Economic Importance
and Wood Flows from
Vermont’s Forests, 2007*
North East State Foresters Association
This booklet is part of a series on the economic importance and value of forest-based manufacturing and forest-related
recreation and tourism of the four states in the NEFA region – New York, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine.
A regional report, and the individual state reports, are also available online at www.nefainfo.org. The reports include an
overview of the land base in each state and a summary of federal and state data from 2005 or newer that provide a picture
of the forest-based manufacturing and forest-related recreation and tourism sectors of the economy.
The reports do not include indirect or induced multipliers, so all data provided represent direct contributions to the economy.
The reports update a similar series produced by NEFA in 1995, 2001 and 2004. Different data sources and methods
to calculate values were used for the 1995 and 2001 reports, so values from the current reports can only legitimately be
compared to the 2004 reports. The economic benefits associated with forest values such as clean water, soil stabilization and
regional green space, among others, are not included in this report, so the final values are very conservative.
* Published August, 2007 using 2005 or better data.
Forests dominate Vermont’s landscape,
covering over 78% of the state. Our
forested ecosystem provides
the
basis for biological diversity, natural
communities, scenic landscapes and
recreational opportunities. As a natural
resource, forests provide an important
economic base
for employment,
tourism and recreation, and support a
diverse forest products industry.
We live in a society that has become
increasingly detached from the natural environment. Fortunately, Vermonter’s appreciation
for the forest and wood products remains strong. Add to this the growing interest in the
ecosystem services provided by our forests, and we can begin to see the important role
Vermont’s forest play i