Illinois

Ranking as one of the state’s top manufacturing industries, Illinois’ forest products industry is a vital component of the state’s economy. The industry employs 50,000 workers with an annual payroll of $1.7 billion. Illinois’ paper and wood manufacturing workforce represents 4.3 percent of the state’s total manufacturing workforce.

Approximately 12 percent of Illinois is forested. Credited to regeneration and planting programs, the net annual forest growth exceeds harvests by 78 percent.

Illinois’ Land Area (in thousands of acres)
Total Land Area: 35,579
Forests: 4,294
Forests as Percent of Total: 12.1%
Federal Lands: 628
National Forest System: 293

Timberland (in thousands of acres)
Government
    Federal: 321
    State: 55
    County & Municipal: 42
Forestry Industry: 13
Other Private Nonindustrial: 3,628
Total Timberland: 4,059

Federal Land Set-Asides (in thousands of acres)
Reserved National Forest: 26
Fish & Wildlife Service: 138
Total: 165

Recycled Paper Consumption (in thousands of short tons): 596

Tree Planting (acres)
Federal: 563
Farmer & Other Private: 8,406
Total: 8,969

Value of Industry Shipments (in thousands of dollars)
Wood Product Manufacturing: $1,138,406
Paper Manufacturing: $5,872,807

Capital Expenditures (in thousands of dollars)
Wood Product Manufacturing: $29,517
Paper Manufacturing: $172,283

Annual Production
Hardwood Lumber (million board feet): 78
Paper & Paperboard (in thousands of short tons): 692*
*also includes Indiana’s production

Timberland Ownership
Government: 10%
Forest Industry: 1%
Other Private Nonindustrial: 89%

Illinois’ total softwood and hardwood inventory has more than doubled since 1953 despite increasing production of wood and paper products.

Employment
Forestry: 869
Lumber & Wood Products (includes logging): 14,611
Paper & Allied Products: 34,466