Out-of-State Exports of Hardwood Manufacturing Industries in the Northern and Central Appalachian States

Abstract

Natural resource-based economic development efforts are becoming increasingly popular. Interest focuses on industries that export from a state, in order to expand the state and local economic base. The Northern and Central Appalachian states should be ideally positioned to benefit from forest-based resources, as they have extensive hardwood forests, a favorable growth-to-drain ratio, and easily accessible national and international markets. This paper examines the export levels of several hardwood product industries and uses tobit analysis to examine establishment and location characteristics related to higher export levels.