Contributions

Michigan's forests contribute to the well-being of society by enhancing environmental quality, maintaining habitat for wildlife, providing recreational opportunities and settings, producing wood for hundreds of forest products manufactured in Michigan, and creating jobs to produce and manufacture wood and wood products.

Although difficult to measure, Michigan's forests provide valuable environmental benefits by improving air and water quality and natural resource conservation. Forests filter pollutants from ambient air. A growing forest typically uses almost 1.5 pounds of carbon dioxide for every pound of wood it produces. At the same time it also produces a pound of oxygen. Forests protect watersheds from erosion and degradation, filter runoff and ground water recharge, and shade streams and lakes. They enhance the quality of Michigan's 36,350 miles of rivers and streams, its 1,194 square miles of inland lakes and its drinking water.

Forests help conserve many natural resources. Threatened, endangered, or animals of special concern like the bald eagle, Kirtland's warbler, moose, pine marten, and fisher, along with many rare plants, are found within Michigan forests, especially in wetlands. Some of our forests also serve as biological reserves to protect diverse habitats and genetic material.

Michigan forests provide habitat for wildlife, including the state's estimated 1.5 million deer and watershed protection for its inland fishery. In 1991, 1.7 million Michigan residents fished or hunted and 3.2 million residents participated in other wildlife related recreation. Participants in hunting and other wildlife related activities spent $1.8 billion and anglers spent $1.3 billion in Michigan in the same year.

Michigan has 6.3 million acres of state and federal recreation lands. State forests hold 59% and national forests hold 41% of these lands. State and federal wilderness areas total over 302 thousand acres. This land base provides opportunities for camping, hiking, skiing, berry and mushroom picking, trail biking, and ORV riding. Recreationists spent an estimated 4.5 million camper days in Michigan in 1991.

Michigan produces a vast array of forest products, from paper to Christmas trees. Industrial production of sawlogs, pulpwood, veneer logs, and other timber products totaled 348 million cubic feet in 1992--an increase of 22 percent over 1984. Domestic fuelwood production was another 8 million cubic feet. The value of all timber products production in 1992 was over $310 million.

Almost 4,000 firms are involved in forest products harvesting, transporting, brokering, or manufacturing in Michigan. Manufacturing accounts for about three-quarters of these firms. Lumber and wood products, wood furniture, and pulp and paper products contributed over $3.3 billion in value added to Michigan's economy in 1992. Pulp and paper contributed about 60% of this total. In 1992 these industries, including logging, provided direct employment to some 51,500 people. These jobs generated 61,000 additional jobs outside the forest products industry. In 1992, new and established forest products industries invested almost $300 million in new capital as Michigan producers continued to upgrade to state-of-the-art production facilities. Combined with forest related recreation, Michigan's forests support an estimated 200,000 jobs and contribute over $12 billion to Michigan's economy each year.

	This website was developed and created by Michigan State University Extension for the teachers of the State of Michigan. The website is maintained by the Delta-Schoolcraft Independent School District in support of the Michigan Forests Forever CD-ROM from the Michigan Forest Resource Alliance.

Page Name: Contributions.htm
Please provide comments to Bill Cook: cookwi@msu.edu or 786-1575