Each year, the Michigan forest products industry harvests about 12 million tons of wood. Each ton of wood generates about $100 worth of economic activity. That's a grand total of $1.3 billion worth of economic activity!
How much economic activity do forest products produce?
Who is the largest forest owner in Michigan?
The State of Michigan is the largest landowner, holding about 4.1 million acres of state forest, state parks, and other lands. Weyerhaeuser owns approximately 580,000 acres of forest land, making them the largest private forest owner.
How fast are Michigan forests growing?
Michigan's forests are growing considerably faster than they are being harvested. To be precise, each year 2.7 times more wood is grown than harvested--exponentially increasing Michigan's forestland.
Is Michigan running out of trees or forest?
No. Forest area is increasing slightly and forest volume is growing substantially. Michigan has some of the least harvested forests in the United States; however, there may be some areas within the state that are experiencing forest loss. This is typically caused by urban expansion and the construction of second homes, resorts, golf courses, etc.
Do we need trees for oxygen?
No. Compared to the oxygen reserves in the atmosphere, trees produce a very tiny amount. Considering all the vegetation on the Earth, trees also don't contribute much. The oceans produce far more oxygen than trees. Remember that the purpose of photosynthesis is not to produce oxygen, but to produce sugars.
How long do trees live?
Most trees don't survive their first year. However, trees can live as long as 4,000 years, but this is very rare. In Michigan, tree species longevity ranges from about 80 years to about 1,200 years (potentially). Northern white cedar is the longest living tree species in Michigan.
How much wood does it take to build a house?
Obviously, the answer depends on the house. However, a 2000 square foot house will use about 13,000 board feet of framing lumber and about 6200 square feet of sheathing (usually oriented strand board - OSB).
How many species of wildlife live in Michigan?
The answer depends upon a lot of things, such as what you consider as wildlife and how you define "live". However, there are about 575 species of vertebrates that have been recorded in Michigan (many are migrants). Nobody knows how many species of animals there are if you count all the other forms of wildlife.