Historic Timber Harvests
This indicator depicts where forest management has been occurring in the recent past. Harvests in the northern and western counties are primarily of hardwoods, while on the Lower Eastern Shore, pines are the economically valuable species. In Southern Maryland, where mills primarily process timber from development sites, both pines and hardwoods are harvested.
This indicator was developed from data on timber harvest permits issued by local Soil Conservation Districts over the period 1995-2000.
Where timber harvesting has occurred there is the potential for forest composition to change, particularly if active management does not follow the harvest. Examining historic timber harvest data can help to point to anticipated future activity, since recent trends in timber harvests are expected to continue at similar rates in the near future. These data were used in constructing the economic model for the Strategic Forest Lands Assessment.