Urn ited States D e partrnent of Agriculture

FO rest Service

Scruthern Forest Errgeriment Station

N e w Orleans, L~P. uisiana

Resource Bulletin 550-81 August 1981

Tennessee Fores ries, 1979

Victor A. Rudis

I ennessee ores

Victor A. Rudis

Forest Resource Regions in Tennessee.

Tennessee Forest Industries, 1979 Victor

THE REPORT IN BRIEF

TL?nnessee supplied 178 million cubic feet of round- wood to forest industries in 1979, with hardwoods corn- prising four-fifths of the total. Saw logs and pulpwood accounted for 96 percent of the roundwood harvested.

Overall production increased by 30 percent since 1970, principally due to increases in pulpwood and saw log production. Output of veneer, cooperage, and other specialty products has been declining since 1949 ( fig. 1 1.

Some 754 wood-using plants were operating in 1979 compared with 624 in 1970, and 1,286 in 1960. In 1979, the majority of mills, largely sawmills, were located in the East, Plateau, 3.d West Central regions of the State.

These are some of the major findings of a new canvass of all primary forest industries in Tennessee for calendar 1979. The canvass was conducted by personnel with the Division of Forestry, Tennessee Department of Conservation, in cooperation with the Division of Land and Forest Resources of the %nnessee Valley Authority. Data were compiled and analyzed by the Renewable Ptesources Unit of the Southern Forest Experiment Station.

Results of previous statewide industry surveys men- tioned in this report are contained in reports by Sternitzke (1955, 1960) and Bertelson (1971).

SAW LOGS

nnnessee's forests produced 694 million board feet of saw logs in 1979, an increase of 9 percent since 1960, and 30 percent since 1970. Hardwoods made up 88 percent of the total volume. Oaks accounted for the majority of the hardwood volume. Softwood volume was made up principally of yellow and white pines.

The number of sawmills on record in 1979 was 694. This is 27 percent higher than in 1970, but is still lower than the 1,135 mills recorded in 11960. In this and in prior studies, small sawmills processed most of the softwood; large sawmills processed mainly hard- woods. In 1979, 71 percent of the softwood saw logs went to small mills (less than 3 million board feet per year). Large mills (greater than 3 million board feet per year) processed 43 percent of the hardwood saw logs in the State.

Tbnnessee imported 64 million. board feet of saw logs, chiefly hardwoods, in 1979, Nearly 23 million board feet

A. Rudis

were exported to surrounding states. Over 42 percent of the saw logs cut within the State vr7ere transported over county lines before being sawn into lumber.

Tennessee's pulpwood harvest nearly doubled from 365,000 cords in 1969 to 645,000 cords in 1979, At the same time, expansion of existing pulpmills increased Tennessee's pulping capacity f rorn 3,220 dons/day to 4,385 tons/day. Pulpwood harvested in 1979 topped the record year of 1975 by 15 percent (fig. 2).

Bnnessee's 7 pulpmills imported 1 million cords of roundwood in 1979, twice the amount harvested from the State. Softwoods comprised the majority of the import volume.

Better than 63 percent of the roundwood harvested in the State for pulp production was comprised of hardwoods, as in the record year 1975. In the inter- vening years, hardwood roundwood has been below 57 percent.

In addition to roundwood volume, the equivalent of 308,000 cords of plant byproduets were used by pulp- mills. This volume represents a third of the totaf 1979 pulpwood production. Since 1970, plant byproducts comprised between one-fourth and one-half of totaf pulpwood production.

VENEER

Veneer logs processed by Tennessee's 5 veneer mills totaled just under 9 million board feet, half of which was imported. The harvest of veneer logs continued to decline from 11 million board feet in 1960, to 7 million board feet in 1970, and 5 million board feet in 1979. Hardwoods comprised all of the veneer logs harvested, with yellow-poplar supplying 39 percent of the total.

COOPERAGE

Tennessee's 6 cooperage mills processed 22 million board feet of white oak roundwood in 1979, Wo-thirds of this amount was imported frorn other states. Cooper- age logs harvested from Tennessee continued to decline frorn 26 million board feet in 1960, to 21 million board feet in 1910, and 8 million board feet in 1979.

Victor A. Rudis is Research Forester, Southern Forest Experiment Station, Forest Service- USDA, New Orleans, La. 701 13.

I

SPECIALTY SAWLOGS PULPWOOD :;;;;ii: ..... PRODUCT S

Figure 1 . - Output of industrial roundwood 1949-1979.

Figure 2. -Pulpwood production in nnnessee, 1969-1979'

OTHER PRODUCTS

Most remaining timber went into the production of hickory handestock. Other products were furniture stock, misceUaneous dimension stock, charcoal, ex- celsior, shuttleblocks, commercial posts and poles, and other industrial wood products.

One-fourth of plant residues, mainly fine hardwood residues, were not used, This contrasts sharply with the 1970 report, when unused residues accounted for 49 percent of total residues.

Nearly 880,000 tons of bark accumulated in 1979. Over three-fourth of this was used as industrial fuel and other products.

LITERATURE CITED PLANT RESIDUES

Pn converting roundwood into primary products, plants generated over 1.8 million tons of plant residues. Of this volume, 55 percent was in coarse form suitable for conversion into pulp chips. The rest was finer material such as sawdust and shavings. Coarse chips were used principally for fiber production and ac- counted for 70 percent of coarse residue utilization. Nearly 20 percent of the finer residues were also used for fiber production. Other uses of both coarse and fine residues included use as animal bedding, mulch, and industrial fuel.

Bertelson, D. F. 1971. Tennessee forest industries. U.S. Dep. Agric.

For. Serv., Resour. Bull. SO-30. 27 p. South. For. Exp. Stn., New Orleans, La.

Sternitzke, H. S. 1955. Tennessee's timber economy. U.S. Dep. Agric.

For. Serv., Forest Resour. Rep. No. 9. 56 p, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, I1.C.

Sternitzke, H. S. 1962. Tennessee forests U.S. Dep. Agric. For. Serv.,

Forest Survey Release 86. 29 p. South. For. Exp. Stn., New Orleans, La.

Vof ume Sn s tandard u n j t s I Roundwood vsl ume

Product

Saw 1 ogs M fbml 694,280 84,064 610,216 118,501 14,215 104,286 Veneer 1 ogf M fbrnZ 4,780 -*- 4,780 802 - w - 502 Pulpwood S td , c o r d s 647,018 228,799 418,219 51,931 18,533 3,4158 Cooperage M fbml 7,583 - - - 7,583 1,092 --- 1,092 Poles and p o s t s M pi c e s 284 23 4 29 28 5 266 19 Misc. productsZ M f t f 5,719 575 5,144 5,719 575 5,144

All p roduc ts 178,390 33,589 144,801

I ~ n t e r n a t i o n a l 114-inch ru le .

2 ~ n c l u d e s handlestock, f u r n i t u r e s t o c k , chemical wood, and miscel laneous dimension stock,

Tab1 e 2. - I n d u a t ~ i a l roundzjood 6 g species, 2 13 18

Spec ies group / Saw l o g s / logs Pulpwood i Cooperage products I

- - -3 fhd- - - Std, cords M j-3rd i.J pieces 14 jt3

Softwood :

White p ine 15,249 --- --- -..- 75 Yellow p ine 58,161 --- 228, ;99" --- 239 344 Red c e d a r 9,026 --- - - - m - .. 15 156 Other 1,628 - - - --- - - - --- - - -

Total

Hardwood:

Gums Hickory Red oaks White oaks Y e l 1 ow popl a r Other hardwoods

Total 610,216 4,780 418,219 7,583 29 5,144

All s p e c i e s 694,280 4,780 647,018 7,583 273 5,719

I n t e r n a t i o n a l l j 4 - i nch ru le .

2 ~ 1 1 pines.

39ed and whi te oaks.

%el 1 ow popl a r , hickory, and o t h e r hardwoods.

Tab1 e 3. - ?dotlement of industria2 roundwood hg product, a d ~ ~ B c - Z ~ B group, t ,979

I 1 Logged and / Logged and / t e remained i n s h i p p e d o u t T o t a l

S ta te of S t a t e r e c e i p t s

A l l species:

5aw 1 ogs 10,987 114,657 3,845 125,644 121,799 Veneer 666 802 --- 1,468 1,468 Pu? pwood 84,866 38,109 13,881 122,975 109,094 Cooperage 2,182 1,021 7 1 3,203 3,132 ~i s c e l l aneousf 5,973 5,675 329 11,648 11,319

T o t a l 104,674 160,264 18,126 264,938 246,812

Softwood:

Saw 1 ogs 647 13,206 1,009 13,853 12,844 Veneer 123 --- - - - 123 123 Pul pwnod 75,910 16,630 1,903 92,540 90,637 Cooperage --- --- - - - --- --- M i sce l 1 aneousz 309 645 196 b 54 7 58

T o t a l 76,989 30,481 3,108 107,470 104,362

Hardwood:

5aw I ogs 10,340 101,451 2,836 111,791 108,955 Veneer 543 802 --- 1,345 1,345 Pulpwood 8,956 21,479 11,978 30,435 18,457 Cooperage 2,182 1,021 7 1 3,203 3,132 f4i sce l 1 aneous2 5,664 5,030 133 10,694 10,561

T o t a l 27,685 129,783 15,018 157,468 142,450

A1 1 products 104,674 160,264 18,126 264,938 246,812

l ~ n c l u d e s poles, c o m e r c i a ? posts, handlestock, f u r n i t u r e stock, chemical wood, and misce l laneo~ ls dimension stock.

Table 4 , - Stm Z O ~ pro&ctim by couney, ~ " Y M

Anderson

Bedford Renton Bledsoe R1 ount Rradl ey

Campbell Cannon C a r r o l l C a r t e r Cheatham Chester Cl a i borne C l ay Cocke Cof fee Crocke t t Cumber1 and

Davidson 5,066 181 Decatur 16,037 43 De Kalb 3,251 3 98 Dickson 8,719 2 Dyer 8,624 2 5

Faye t te 6,573 - - .. Fentress 12,752 4,212 Frank1 i n 6,824 177

Lawrence Lewis L i n c o l n Loudon

McMi nn McNai r y Macon Madison Marion Marshal 1 Ma u r y Meigs M n r o e Montgomery Moore Morgan

Obi on Overton

Per ry P i c k e t t Polk Putnam

Rhea Roane Robertson Ruther fo rd

Gibson G i l e s Gra i nger Greene Grundy

Hambl en Hami 1 t o n Hancock Hardeman Hardi n Hawk i ns Haywood Henderson Henry Hickman Houston Humphreys

Jackson J e f f e r s o n Johnson

Knox

j Sco t t I Sequatchie / Sev ie r

She1 by Smi t h Stewart S u l l i v a n Sumner

1 :::i!dnale I

Un ico i ( Union

Lake - - - --- --- Lauderdal e 8,405 702 7,703 1 count ies 694,280 84,064 6111,216

l ~ n t e r n a t i o n a l 1/4-inch ru le .

Hambl en Hami 1 t o n Hancock Hardernan Hardi n Haywood Henderson Henry Hickrnan Houston Humphreys

Je f fe rson Johnson

K nox

Lauderdale Lawrence

Table 5. - Sczw Zog mouemeni;, 1979

Anderson

Bedf o r d Renton B l edsoe Rlount

Cannon C a r r o l l Car te r 3,938 1,712 2,189 6,127 Montgomery 4,102 5,451 19,791 23,893 Cheatham 5,471 6,921 3,122 8,593 / Morgan 3,764 3,720 1,508 5,272

Ti pton

Unicoi lJni on

Van Ruren

Warren Washington Wayne Weak1 ey White Mi 11 i amson

A1 1 o ther count ies2

A1 7 count ies

Chester 1,102 5,208 4,764 5,866 C l a i borne 3,082 365 9,256 12,338 C l ay 6,774 2,734 5,504 12,278 Cocke 2,663 2,266 228 2,891

l ~ n t e r n a t i o n a l 1/4- inch ru le.

"ounties w i t h less than 3 plants.

Obi on 6,510 3,140 8,283 14,793 Overton 6,845 6,941 1,774 8,619

Coffee 5,294 1,789 2,726 8,020 Perry 18,566 1,987 4,546 23,112 Cumber1 and 3,425 4,280 2,225 5,650 1 Polk 4,300 10,045 7 4,307

Davidson 1,765 3,301 5,348 7,113 Putnarn 7,757 4,317 10,603 18,360

Decatur 12,469 3,568 2,845 15,314 De Kalb 246 3,005 257 503 Dickson 5,785 2,934 4,540 10,325

Fayet te 4,823 1,750 2,580 7,403 Fentress 8,325 4,427 3,571 11,896 Frank1 i n 2,242 4,582 3,383 5,625

Rhea 416 1,556 593 1,009 Roane 544 1,472 864 1,408 Robertson 5,729 4,605 2,523 8,252 Rutherford 1,962 840 3,397 5,359

Scot t 2,893 2,173 6,008 8,901 Sequatchie 747 3,753 591 1,338 Sevier 404 577 479 883

Gi 1 es 7,773 1,862 6,416 14,189 Smi t h 3,130 323 6,773 9,903 Grai nger 796 2,434 914 1,710 1 Stewart 6,119 10,554 4,723 10,842 Greene 3,347 2,122 4,054 7,401 S u l l i v a n 457 1,029 3 5 492 G r u ndy 2,604 3,432 4,291 6,895 Surnner 1,245 968 1,013 2,258

Bedf ord Benton Bl edsoe Blount Bradley

Campbell Cannon Carroll Cheatham Chester Coffee Cumber1 and

lk.ZcMj n n HciVaa? ry Ivladf son Mzricn Ma u ry Mgi gs rplonroe Montgomry Moore Idorgan

Obi on Overton

Decatur De Kalb Dickson

Perry Pickett P o l k Putnam

Fayette Fentress Frank1 in

Rhea Roilne Rutherford

Giles Grundy Scott

Sequatchie She1 by Smi t h Sul 1 ivan Sumner

Ham? l ton Hardeman Hardin Henderson Henry Hickman Houston Humphreys

T l pton

Warren Wayne Mhi t e Nil1 iamson W i 1 son

Jackson Johnson

Lawrence Lewis Lincoln Loudon All counties 6,004 84 1 5,163

l ~ n c l u d e s poles, posts, handlestock, furniture stock, chemical wood, and miscellaneous dimension stock,

2~oun t i e s with negligible output are omitted,

Table 9. - Kound pulpwood production by county, 1979

county2 es Softwood Hardwood --

T---- -r --- ---- L I ------.

- - - - -Standard cords- - - - -

Anderson 12,204 5,300 6,904 1 Knox 5,145 4,526 619 I

Benton E l edsoe Bl ount Rradl ey

Lauderdal e 104 28 7 6 Lewis 15,560 8,251 7,309 L i nco l n 6,625 1,661 4,964 Loudon 3,768 1,830 1,938

Campbet 1 Carrot 1 Car te r Chester Cl a i borne C l ay Cocke Cof fee Crocket t Cilmnerl arid

McMi nn McNai r y %icon Madison Marion Mei gs Monroe Montgomery Morgan

Perry P i c k e t t Polk Putnam

Rhea Roane Ru the r fo rd

S c o t t Sequatchie Sevi e r She1 by Stewart S u l l i v a n

Davidson Decatur l)cl Kalb Dickson

Faye t te Fentress Frank1 i r i

Gibson G i l e s Gra inger Srcene Grundy

Hambl en Harni 1 t o n Vancock Hardeman Hard i n Hawk i ns Henderson Henry Hickman Hotrston Humphrey s

' T i p ton

Warren Washington Wayne Weak1 ey White

A1 1 count ies $1 e f f erson Jobnson

l ~ o u n t i es w i t h negl i g i b l e ou tpu t a re orni t t ed ,

Tab le 10, -- 1412 industriak roundood prs&ctim bg eouxty, liiits

Anderson Lawrence Lew-i s L-i ncol n Loudon

Bedford Rent on B r edsoe B l aunt Bradley

McMi nn YcNai uiy ~acqtn Mad< son Yarisn Marshal 1 Fa ll ry Mei gs Monroe Hsntgomery Moore Morgan

Campbe1 l Cannon Carroll Carter Cheat ham Chester CI a i borne C l ay Cocke Co f fee Croekedt Cumber1 and

Ohion Overt on

Davidson Decat err De Kalb Dickson Dyer

Perry P icke t "& P o l k Putnarn

Rhea Roane Robertson Rutherford

G-i bson G i 1 es Grai nger Greene Grundy

Scott Sequimtchje Sevi e r She1 by Sm-i t h S t m a r t Sul I l 'van Sumner

Wambl en Wami lton t-fancock Hardeman Wardi n Hawk i ns Waywood Henderson Henry H i ckman Houston Humphreys

Pa" pdon Trou sda 1 e

Unicoi Union

Van Buren

Warren Washington Wayne Weak1 ey White Wl" 11 i amson W i 4 son

Jack son Jefferson Johnson

Knox

Lake tacrderdafe A1 1

counties

Tahte 11. -

Anderson

Redf ord Renton Rledsoe Rlount Rradl g

Camphel l Cannon Carroll Carter Cheat ham Chester Cl ai borne Gl ay Cocke Coffee Cumber1 and

0avidson necattlr De Kalh Oickson

Fayette Fentress Frankl'i n

Gibson Gi 1 es Grai nger Greene Grundy

Hamblen Hami 1 ton Hancock Hardeman Hardi n Haywood Henderson Henry Hi ckman Houston Humphreys

Jefferson Johnson

Knox

Larlderdale Lawrence Lewis

I

I ~ o u n t i e s with less than 3 plants or less than 1 green ton.

, JZ ,mt hzro&c te used b y county, 1 J / Y

13,479 8,081

2,680 2,315 11,728 391 12,456 9,245

649 179 5,669 1,907

10,461 --- 413 --- 10,048 --- 7,676 6,151 530 294 7,146 5,857

1q,444 3,869 169 106 10,275 3,763 Obion 3,078 291 1,401 248 1,677 43 Overton 8,899 8,699 --- --- 8,899 8,699 5,969 7,101 870 688 5,099 6,413 Perry

Pickett 5,518 890 3 6 22 5,482 868 Polk

24,911 3,795 3 6 22 24,875 3,773 Putnam 1,677 1,258 276 174 1,401 1,084

19,955 16,282 - - - --- 19,955 16,282 Rhea

831 --- - - - --- 831 --- 1 i~i:;tson 16,955 8,841 3,910 2,233 13,045 6,608 Rutherford 8,055 4,683 115 77 7,940 4,606

Scott 7,133 45 6 0 23 7,073 22 Sequatchie

18,290 13,314 175 38 18,115 13,276 Sevier 2,225 --- 1,261 --- 964 --- She1 by 6,669 3,985 1,366 893 5,303 3,092 Smith 9,099 6,918 616 412 8,483 6,506 Stewart

Sull ivan 8,553 --- 1,166 --- 7,387 --- Sumner 4,742 3,891 745 701 3,997 3,190 2,267 153 6 6 18 2.201 135 1 Tipton

12,810 3,710 461 74 12,349 3,636 15,058 5,703 1,573 514 13,485 5,189 Unicoi 11,980 8,409 --- --- 11,980 8,409 Union 19,457 11,432 647 500 18,810 10,932 22,679 12,256 549 516 22,130 11,740 Van Ruren 16,140 9,857 591 406 15,549 9,451 15,051 13,147 - - - --- 15,051 13,147 Warren 24,403 11,207 9 6 24,394 11,201 Washington

Wayne 184 --- 76 --- 108 --- Weak1 ey

5,507 977 2,533 370 2,974 607 White Williamson

5,292 823 1,649 29 3,643 794

13,750 --- - - - --- 13,750 --- A1 1 other count iesl

15,476 9,287 143 112 15,333 9,175 14,265 6,801 1,261 481 13,004 6,320 1 A l l counties

Anderson

I.?cMi"ii n n RcNa?" ry Macon Padr'ssn Marion Marshal 1 Me?'gs Monroe Mon%gomry ?d"ioore Moraan

Campbell Cannon Carrol l Cheatham Chester C l a i borne Clay Cocke Coffee Cumber1 and

Perry P-ickett P o l k Pu tnam

Rhea Roane Rutherf ord

Fayet te Fent ress Frank1 i n

Scot t Seqriatckie Sev ie r Shelby S m i t h fbewart Stanner

Gibson F i l e s Grai nger Greene Frundy

Hambf en Wami I t o n Hancock Hardernan Hardi n Haywood Henderson Henry Hickman Humphrey s

Van Buren

Washington Wayne Weaklw White J e f f e r s o n

Jchnson A f l other count i esJ Knox

Lauderdale 94 12,000 --- -..- Lawrence 739 5,083 -*- -..- All coun t ies 140,722 348,405 33,005 35,594 107,717 312,806

:counties w i t h less t h a n 3 p l a n t s , o r w i t h less t h a n I green t on ,

Tab1 e 13. - 13arki xsed and unused b y eouaty, 2919

County

- - - -Srem %me- - - - Anderson 6,331 42 6,289

Bedford 1,087 288 799 Renton 5,555 4 5,552 B 1 eds oe 5,469 331 5,138 Blount 81 7 170 647 Bradley 516 368 148

Campbell Cannon Carrot 1 Carter Cheatham Chester Cl ai borne Clay Cocke Coffee Cumber1 and

Davi dson 10 10 - - Decatur 9,440 10 9,430 De Kalh 739 8 1 649 Dickcon 5,278 - - - 5,278

Fayette 397 - - - 397 Fentress 5,976 1,354 4,622 Frank1 in 3,7130 29 3,751

Gibson 1 ,755 15 1,740 Giles 8,163 186 7,977 Grai nger 1328 384 444 Ereene 2,108 381 1,727 Grundy 3,752 206 3,546

Hambl en Hami 1 ton Hancock Hardeman Hardi n W aywood Henderson Henry Hickman Houston Humphreys

- - - -Srzen tons- - - - - - .. --- ---

Jefferson 76 2 6 50 1 1 1 - - - Johnson 2,116 898 1,218 262 66 196

Knox 1,645 417 1,228 1 --- -..- --- t I

"Tab"l 13, -- ~ r a r k ~ ueed and mused bg eoknty, 1979 :Ckyr"st ' d l

I

McM4 nn 152,846 133,798 19,048 McNa i ry 5,861 79% 5,069 Macon 3,429 --- 3,429 Hadi son 9,595 5,588 4,P3@7 YarS on 4,1197 691 3,4!?6 Yarshal I 645 9 536 Me5 gs 595 285 229 Monroe 7,530 4,7139 2,73: Montgomery 4,721 --- 4,'72; Moore 152 --- 4 .A G$. -- Morgan 2,688 203 2,479

Perry 2,146 39 2, l07 P icke t -% 7,962 24 7,938 Polk 1,341 997 444 kcatnam 7,789 68 7,729

Rhea 1,524 112 2,412 Roane 816 262 554 W sbert son 2,982 --- 2,982 Rutherford 2,604 1,751 853

s c ~ t e Sequatchje Sevf er S he1 by Smi t l-r Stewart SuS 1 i v a n Sumner

T i p t o n 21 2 19 1 --- - - - - - -

Van Ruren 1,558 188 1,370 1 5 2 2 4 1 481 I

Warren 10,305 46 10,259 tdashl" ng"con 396 5% 3 4 Wayne 5,632 404 5,226 Weak1 ey 720 56 664 bJh? t e 10,839 1,229 9,707 Williamson 1,690 --- 1,690

A7 1 other csl; n"e ies2 3,925 I4 9$111

I ~ x c 7 udes pulpwood bark .

Z~ounties w i t h less than 3 p l a n t s ,

Tab le 14. - Dis-krikution of Tenv~ssae smiZ' ls hg v o l m of oueput and speeies group, 7979

Vol urne 0 f

o u t p u t A1 1

s p e c i e s Softwood Hardwood

To t a l I I l ~ n t e r n a t i ona l 1 /4- i nch ru l e .

RUDIS, VICTOR A, 1981, mnnessee forest industries, 1959. U S , Dep, Agric.

Fore Serv. &sour, Bull, SO-81 16 p, South. For. Exp. Stn., New Orleans, La.

Findings of a new canvass sf all primary forest industries in Bnpaessee for calendar 1979, Overall production increased by 30 percent between 1970 and 1979,