New study: Forest sector contributes $30.3 billion to Texas economy
The Texas A&M Forest Service (TFS) has completed a new study of the economic contribution provided by forestry-driven, wood-based industries in Texas. The report shows that the Texas forest sector continues to be one of the top ten manufacturing sectors in the state and contributed $30.3 billion in industry output, supporting more than 130,600 jobs, in 2012.
TFS periodically produces the report, Economic Impact of the Texas Forest Sector, to give citizens an idea of how the forest sector fits into the Texas economy. The latest report analyzes data collected from 2012, the most current available.
The current report is especially important because it shows where forestry in Texas stands as the economy rebounds from the 2007–09 recession, according to TFS. The recession had a profound adverse impact on the Texas forest sector, and although forest and forest product industries have not fully recovered, there are signs of improvement, TFS officials said.
Dr. Omkar Joshi, TFS forest economist, said that the forest sector is making steady progress, climbing from the lows seen during the recession.
“With the economy improving and the housing market getting better and better, we should continue to see the forest industry’s economic contribution to Texas increase,” he said.
View and download a copy of the full report and visit TexasForestInfo.com for additional information on economic impacts of the Texas forest sector, statewide trend analysis, directory of forest products industries, timber supply analysis, county- or region-specific distribution of forest products and economic values of the ecological goods and services provided by Texas forests.