The U.S. Forest Products Industry Currently Supports More Than One Million jobs.
Architects, builders, remodelers and homeowners should take notice of the USDA’s news release on recent findings indicating wood should factor as a primary building material in green building. Specifically, the review found that using wood in building products yields fewer greenhouse gases than using other common materials.
“This study confirms what many environmental scientists have been saying for years,” says Agricultural Secretary Tom Vilsack. “Wood should be a major component of American building and energy design. The use of wood provides substantial environmental benefits, provides incentives for private land owners to maintain forest land, and provides a critical source of jobs in rural America.”
The news release goes on to say that the use of forest products in the United States currently supports more than one million direct jobs, particularly in rural areas, and contributes more than $100 billion to the country’s gross domestic product.
Here in Maine, the forest products industry is a critical part of our economy and at the heart of our company’s history. Today, Hancock Lumber’s three Eastern White Pine sawmills employ over 200 people and contribute more than $30,000,000 annually to the local economy. Hancock’s responsible forestry management, domestic manufacturing, and employment opportunities for Mainers are all part of its long-standing commitment to a corporate philosophy of stewardship to leave things in better shape than when we assumed responsibility for them. A natural and abundant resource in Maine, Eastern White Pine trees are harvested every 80-100 years. In our 164-year company history, we’ve only gone through two harvest cycles! All biases aside, wood IS good and we’re proud to be an industry leader in the state and beyond!
