North carolinas privately owned forests are currently growing more wood volume each year than are being removed due to harvesting, mortality, and conversion to non-forest land uses

The Department of Agriculture Forest Service R8-Southern Region awarded $838,845 to the North Carolina Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services on August 20, 2026, under the Cooperative Forestry Assistance program (CFDA 10.664) to support forest products market development and strategic forest management practices across North Carolina.

The award funds half a year of dedicated effort by the state's Markets and Utilization State Forester over two years to support and retain North Carolina's existing forest products industry and develop new markets, particularly for pulpwood and lower-value hardwood affected by recent mill closures and export market reductions. The recipient will complete 75 acres of shortleaf pine site preparation and tree planting on state forest lands serving as a demonstration site to educate private landowners on reforestation practices. An additional 150 acres of longleaf and loblolly pine site preparation and tree planting will be demonstrated on state forest lands for private landowner education. The award also supports the state's Nursery & Tree Improvement Program, which produces native forest tree seedlings for deployment across North Carolina's regions, and implementation of strategic forest management practices including afforestation, reforestation, and forest stand improvement on state forest lands. Performance occurs in North Carolina with a period of performance through August 19, 2031.

Diverse markets for the multitude of products produced by these forests areessential to achieving sustainably managed forestlands that provide economic, social, and environmental benefits not only for landowners, but also for society. Due to recent mill closures, manufacturing reductions, and reductions in export market opportunities, northcarolinas woodland owners are experiencing challenges in finding markets to sell their wood, especially pulpwood and lower value hardwood. Efforts will focus on supporting and retaining the states existing forest products industry and assisting with new and emerging market development and recruitment by devoting half a year of our markets and utilization state forester on this project over 2 years. This project will support the north carolina's nursery & tree improvement program, which provides native forest tree seedlings of the highest quality for deployment across every region of north carolina. This project will also support the implementation of strategic and priority forest management practices on state forest lands, including, but not limited to, afforestation, reforestation, and forest stand improvement practices. Intensions are to complete 75 acres of shortleaf pine site prep and tree planting on state forest lands to serve as a demonstration site to inform and educate private landowners on practices that can be undertaken on private land. The shortleaf pine ecosystem has declined more than 50% over the past 30 years throughout its range, including significant reductions in north carolina. Demonstration of 150 acres of longleaf and loblolly pine site prep and tree planting on state forest lands will inform and educate private landowners of practices that can be undertaken on private land.