Michigan has more forest land than any other state in the Northeast or Midwest. According to the Michigan Forests 2014 report, Michigan wood product and paper industries directly employ nearly 35,000 people and have an output of approximately 10 billion dollars annually. Additional Michigan jobs and economic output are found in logging, transportation, recreation, hunting, tourism, furniture and more. And small, family forest owners as a group, own 45% of the forest land in Michigan (9.1 million of 20.3 million acres)! Michigan forests and family forest owners are important to growing jobs and providing economic opportunity in Michigan.
These forests support our rural economies, while also helping maintain the clean air and water that Michigan is known for. Wildlife habitat, recreational and tourism opportunities also abound in the forests of Michigan.
