Missouri's forests 1999-2003 (Part A)

Abstract

The first completed annual inventory of Missouri's forests reports more than 14.6 million acres of forest land. Softwood forests make up 4 percent of the total forest land area; oak/hickory forest types make up about three-fourths of the total hardwood forest land area. Missouri's forests have continued to increase in volume, with all-live tree volume on forest land in Missouri an estimated 18 billion cubic feet compared to 9 billion cubic feet in 1972. All-live tree biomass on forest land in Missouri amounted to 573 million dry tons in 1999-2003. Almost 9 percent was in small trees, 74 percent was in growing-stock trees, and 17 percent was in non-growing-stock trees. Softwood growth was 44.1 million cubic feet per year and hardwood growth was 585.3 million cubic feet per year. Oak species constitute roughly three-fourths of the volume and three-fourths of the harvest. Total net all-live volume of oaks on timberland increased by 24 percent between 1989 and 2003. More than 82 percent of Missouri?s forest land is held by private landowners.