Success Story2017 – 2018 Kentucky Forest Sector Economic Contribution Report



2017 – 2018 Kentucky Forest Sector Economic Contribution Report

Author: Bobby Ammerman

Planning Unit: Forestry

Major Program: Forestry Industry Education

Outcome: Long-Term Outcome

Kentucky’s forests cover nearly half the Commonwealth but only scattered information had existed on the overall economic impact of Kentucky’s forest and wood industry. To address this shortfall, a team of faculty and staff from the University of Kentucky Departments of Forestry and Agricultural Economics (Drs. Jeff Stringer, Alison Davis, and Terrell Baker along with staff members Bobby Ammerman and Billy Thomas) worked closely to compile data from a wide variety of sources for the Kentucky forest and wood industry. In 2013 this data was summarized and analyzed to assemble a comprehensive report on the Kentucky forest and wood industry. The subsequent extension publications (FORFS 13-03 and FORFS 13-04) that were developed as a result of this project revealed the forest and wood industry in Kentucky is a significant contributor to the Commonwealth’s economy.


In 2019 the publication was updated to include the current reporting year - 2018 (FORFS 19-01).  The publication showed an economic impact of the Kentucky Forestry Sector to be $8.5 billion in 2018 in direct economic impact and over 13.5 billion in indirect and induced and provided a total of more than 59,451 jobs.  A presentation was given by Jeff Stringer at the Kentucky Farm Bureau meeting in Louisville Kentucky in the fall of 2018 on the report. In addition, at the 2019 Forest Industry Association Meeting Several media outlets picked up the release of the publication.






Stories by Bobby Ammerman


Kentucky Forest Products Industry Directory - Data collection of wood residuals from the secondary wood industry in Kentucky

about 4 years ago by Bobby Ammerman

Kentucky Forest Products Industry Directory - Data collection of wood residuals from the secondary w... Read More


Tooling Design for the Wood Industry (2020 accomplishments)

about 4 years ago by Bobby Ammerman

Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE ... Read More


Stories by Forestry


“From The Woods Today” Web Show Launched by UK Forestry and Natural Resources Extension

“From The Woods Today” Web Show Launched by UK Forestry and Natural Resources Extension

about 4 years ago by William Thomas

Kentuckys forests and woodlands provide numerous benefits to the Commonwealth. The more than 12 mill... Read More


From the Woods Today

From the Woods Today

about 4 years ago by Laurie Thomas

Forests are tremendously important to the economic and ecological well-being of Kentucky. The state ... Read More