← Back to overview
Sourcing Data

West Region

Data year: 2024

The West region spans a wide range of forest landscapes and includes both the Pacific Coast and Rocky Mountain regions.

The Pacific Coast has extensive areas of public land, with around 54% of the region’s forests owned and managed by the federal government, though 77% of harvest is from private lands (FIA data). These forests are made up largely of coniferous species, such as Douglas-fir and ponderosa pine in the Pacific Northwest. Timber harvested from this region – from both naturally regenerating and planted working forests – makes up nearly a fifth of U.S. softwood timber (FIA data). The Pacific Southwest is generally drier in climate and consists of mixed conifer stands and scrublands. There are over 33 million acres of forests in this region, but they are mostly unproductive for timber, providing around 3% of U.S. annual timber harvests (FIA data).

The Rocky Mountain region, which spans from Idaho to Kansas and New Mexico, is the least forested region in the country, with only 18% forest cover (Oswalt 2026). Most of the region is relatively dry, and forest types range from pinyon and juniper woodlands in the deserts of the southwest to dense spruce-pine forests in the Rocky Mountains (FIA data). Around two-thirds of the forests in this region are owned and managed by the federal government (FIA data). This region faces a number of forest threats that have caused forest carbon stocks to decline in recent years, including wildfire, disease, and pest outbreak.

Wood Fiber Sourcing — West Region

Tier 1 · Non-Controversial Sources
100%

of Wood Fiber from Non-Controversial Sources

of Mills’ Wood Fiber From

Non-Controversial Sources1

Wood is sourced from jurisdictions
with a low risk of illegal activity.

Why Does This Matter?

These wood products can be traced to the U.S. or other regions through legality-focused standards to ensure they are legally sourced.

Why Does This Matter?

These wood products can be traced to the U.S. or other regions through legality-focused standards to ensure they are legally sourced.

Tier 2 · Responsible Sources
97%

of Wood Fiber from Responsible Sources

of Mills’ Wood Fiber From

Responsible Sources1

Wood is acquired according to an independently certified, responsible procurement system or is harvested from regions with regulatory systems in place to implement forestry best management practices.

Why Does This Matter?

These products are sourced utilizing practices that protect the forests and the waters that flow through them.
Mills ensure that the wood they use is sourced from forests that comply with forest best management practices (e.g., protection of water quality, endangered species, etc.)

Why Does This Matter?

These products are sourced using practices that protect forests and the waters that flow through them, including compliance with best management practices.

Tier 3 · Certified Forests
64%

of Wood Fiber from Certified Forests

of Mills’ Wood Fiber From

Certified Forests1

Wood is acquired from lands with one or more forest management certifications.

Why Does This Matter?

These products come from forests managed according to sustainable practices defined by an independent body, such as the Sustainable Forestry Initiative or Forest Stewardship Council.

The wood can be tracked through the supply chain using chain-of-custody.

Why Does This Matter?

These products come from forests managed to a certified sustainability standard (SFI or FSC) and can be tracked through the supply chain via chain-of-custody.

Certified Forestland
8%

of All Forests in This Region are Certified

Certified Forestland32

8% of all forests in this region have a forest management certification.

Why Is This Number So Low?

• Public lands are generally not certified

• Small family landowners also unlikely to be certified

Why Is This Number Relatively Low?

Public lands are generally not certified, and small family forest owners are unlikely to pursue certification due to cost — even though their timber is subject to procurement requirements at the mills that purchase it.

Who Owns the Forests in This Region?

Family Landowners
17%
Public Lands
64%
Tribal Lands
3%
Industrial / Corporate
14%

Key states in this region: WA, OR, CA, AZ, ID, NV, UT, WY, CO, MT,NM

Common Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

Written for anyone — no forestry background required.

What qualifies wood as “responsibly sourced”?
Mills have invested significantly in certifications and internal supply chain verification systems. The underlying work required by those certifications and internal controls help  assure consumers their wood is not coming from practices that are harmful to forest ecosystems. Responsibly sourced wood goes beyond harvest legality by showing that risk mitigation, best management practices, and sustainability safeguards were applied throughout the sourcing process. Sources can be qualified as responsible in a couple of ways:  The first is if the company or mill that manufactures the wood product has an independent certification to a procurement standard, such as:  
  • SFI Fiber Sourcing – requires organizations to demonstrate knowledge of the origin of their wood fiber supply and the supply chain participants involved, and to implement measures that ensure responsible sourcing. 
  • SFI Chain of Custody – requires organizations to have processes such as inventory control, employee training, reporting, and invoicing so they can track raw materials from certified sources or recycled content through production and manufacturing to the end product. 
  • FSC Chain of Custody – required for companies who want to pass on an FSC claim to customers through sales and delivery documents, apply the FSC on-product label, or process FSC certified products and materials. 
  • FSC Controlled Wood – requires that non-certified materials are controlled to reduce the risk of sourcing from places with harmful forestry practices, such as illegally harvested wood or harvests that threaten high conservation value areas.  
  • PEFC Chain of Custody – enables companies to demonstrate responsible sourcing by providing assurance that they have systems to identify, manage and trace PEFC-certified material, recycled material and material from PEFC Controlled Sources. 
To qualify for these standards, a manufacturer must have a system in place that verifies their wood is harvested in compliance with all relevant legal requirements and is coming from forests with responsible practices, including measures that protect biodiversity and ecologically and culturally important areas. Companies certified to these standards are third-party audited to ensure compliance.  Another is if wood comes from a geographic area that has programs that implement best management practices (BMPs). BMPs are practices implemented by forest managers and loggers aimed at protecting water quality during all phases of forest management.  To qualify as ‘responsible’ under ASTM D7612, the applicable standard or forest governance in the geography must include compliance with BMPs and ensure all fiber comes from known and legal sources. To date, Oregon is the only state to officially have an approved state-based ASTM D7612 compliance program, though other states are likely eligible.  See the additional resources section for more information on procurement certifications. *link to certification section of additional resources if possible* 
How do wood products support a circular economy?

Wood products are an inherently circular material because trees are a renewable resource. Sustainably managed forests provide a steady supply of fiber for wood products. In addition, mills use nearly every part of the log, turning sawdust, bark, and chips into energy, paper, and other products instead of waste. Lumber and engineered wood products have long service lives in buildings, and at the end of a product’s life, wood can often be reused, recycled into other products, or used for bioenergy rather than sent to a landfill.  

How does the U.S. wood products industry demonstrate traceability?

Wood product manufacturers source fiber from hundreds to thousands of different landowners across the U.S., and logs from those sources are mixed and sorted based on quality and other characteristics in the mill’s log yard before processing. After wood leaves the mill, it is bought and sold as a commodity product by traders and building materials suppliers across the country and moved by plane and train (and sometimes boat!). This complex supply chain means that the industry relies upon grading stamps on the products to convey procurement requirements, and in some cases chain-of-custody systems provide information on the certification types that went into the growth and sourcing of the product.  This helps track the information that’s most important to customers while not adding the expense of tracking individual pieces of lumber or hindering competition in the marketplace between the multitude of actors involved in the supply chain.   

What emissions are included in the quantification of carbon impact of wood products in EPDs?
Wood product EPDs include emissions from forestry activities (from stand establishment through harvest), transportation, and production emissions in the mill. GHG emissions associated with forestry activities – referred to as the A1 stage in wood product EPDs – include emissions from activities like nursery operations, site preparation, planting, fertilization, thinning and harvesting. These operations are a relatively small contributor to overall wood product embodied carbon. For example, the A1 stage of the production of softwood lumber is responsible for only about 24% of the total emissions. The transportation stage (A2) includes emissions from trucking or other transportation to bring wood from where it was harvested to the mill.  In addition to the efficient forestry operations, the manufacturing process (the A3 stage in EPDs) has lower GHG emissions than many other industries. Unlike concrete and steel, wood products do not require extremely high temperatures to produce, and most wood product mills use residual biomass from logs to fuel their operations. Wood product manufacturing is inherently low-waste, with nearly every piece of the log being used. Manufacturers also use wood residuals to create a host of products we use in our everyday lives, including composite panels, paper, mulch, and compost used to enrich soil.   Wood product EPDs express carbon impacts in terms of Global Warming Potential (GWP). EPDs disclose both GWP-fossil (emissions from fossil sources, such as coal, oil, and natural gas) and GWP-biogenic (CO2 emissions and removals from biological materials). GWP values for wood products manufacturing can vary depending on regional factors such as the electricity grid or wood species and moisture differences. Generally, GWP impacts for wood products are lower than for alternative materials and can lead to avoided emissions when used in place of alternative materials. Wood products also store biogenic carbon while they are in use, and wood product EPDs report the carbon storage in the products as additional information.   More LCA data on regional forestry operations can be found here.   Link to FACT platform  Explore wood product EPDs 
Why don’t all small family forest owners certify their timberlands?

Some small family forest owners choose to certify their lands, and others don’t. Cost, complexity, administrative burden, and the diversity of landowner objectives and values make wide-scale certification difficult for small landowners. These landowners make up roughly a third of forest ownership in the U.S. (272 million acres) (Butler 2021). Even though many of these lands are not certified, wood sourced from them is subject to procurement requirements by the mills that purchase their timber. For those landowners who choose to certify their forests, the American Tree Farm System standard is designed to be implemented by smaller scale forest owners. 

Why aren’t federal lands third-party certified? Does that mean they’re not sustainably managed?

Certification is mostly used by private owners who intend to sell timber from their lands and want to provide sustainability assurance to customers. It can be costly, however, and many public forests are already subject to public processes (e.g., NEPA) that call for environmental assessment and transparency. Although U.S. federal timberlands are typically not certified, this does not mean they are not being sustainably managed. In 2007, the Pinchot Institute conducted a study of five national forests and found their management practices met many of the certification requirements in terms of forest planning, protection of threatened and endangered species and others. (USFS Forest Certification Study). Additionally, many state-owned forests are certified to the SFI or FSC forest management standards. For example, all state-managed forests in Washington State (2.4 million acres) are certified. 

How many acres of forests are certified in the U.S.?

There are about 102 million acres of certified forests in the U.S., which is about 20% of total U.S. working forests. Globally, the area of certified forest makes up around 11% of global forest area, with the majority of certified area located in North American and Europe. (Dovetail 2021) 

What is forest certification?
Forest certification is a voluntary, third-party system used to verify that forests are managed according to established sustainability standards, often covering practices related to forest regeneration, biodiversity, water quality, endangered species, indigenous peoples’ rights, forestry research, and long-term forest health. In the U.S., the most common forest certifications are the SFI Forest Management Standard and the FSC Forest Management Standard. Both standards include requirements addressing the above practices, but they differ in implementation approaches and specific requirements within each category. Click here for a more detailed comparison of SFI and FSC standards.    In 2026, the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) announced a determination recognizing wood sourced under SFI, PEFC, and FSC standards, allowing wood products certified under any of these standards to count toward LEED credits equally.  It's important to note that not all sustainably managed forests are certified (e.g., federal forests and small family forests). The absence of certification does not necessarily indicate unsustainable practices, but certification is a useful tool for identifying sustainably produced wood products.  See the additional resources section for more information on forest certification. *link to certification section of additional resources if possible* 
How common are sustainable procurement certifications?

Responsibly sourced wood goes beyond harvest legality by showing that risk mitigation, best management practices, and sustainability safeguards were applied throughout the sourcing process. For U.S. structural wood products, the majority of producers have at least one type of procurement certification.  

  • 76% of AWC member mills have SFI Fiber Sourcing and/or FSC Controlled Wood. 
  • 47% of AWC member mills have SFI and/or FSC Chain of Custody. 
  • 83% of AWC member mills have at least one type of procurement certification!  

 

AWC Member Mill Procurement Certification Stats* 
   SFI Fiber Sourcing  SFI Chain of Custody  FSC Controlled Wood  FSC Chain of Custody 
Lumber 

56% of U.S. production surveyed 

 82%  43%  12%  15% 
EWP/Mass Timber 

83% of U.S. production surveyed 

 48%  50%  24%  28% 
Panels (Plywood, OSB, etc.) 

58% of U.S. production surveyed 

 72%  27%  34%  34% 

*Production Weighted Averages 

What are the main causes of deforestation in the US?

Deforestation occurs when forests are converted to other land uses – think urban development, agriculture, and even solar. Overall, the area of forestland in the U.S. has remained stable since the early 1900s. Where deforestation does occur, it is primarily driven by conversion to urban development (RPA 2020 and 2026 GHG Inventory). Some deforestation is also driven by conversion to agriculture, though agriculture is a small driver compared to urban development (Renwick 2025). About half of new developed lands in the U.S. over the last 40 years were converted from forest or rangeland (RPA 2020), and the 2026 US GHG Inventory estimates there were 74 million tCO2e emitted from land converted to urban development in 2024 (2026 GHG Inventory).  

Globally, the causes of deforestation vary depending on the region. In contrast to the drivers of forest conversion in the U.S., according to a 2015 World Wildlife Fund’s (WWF) Living Forest Report, the most common pressures causing global deforestation and severe forest degradation outside the U.S. are: large and small-scale agriculture; unsustainable logging; mining; infrastructure projects; and increased fire incidence and intensity. A more recent report in Nature analyzed the leading causes of deforestation across 179 countries, with commodities such as cattle meat and palm oil being top drivers globally (Singh and Persson 2026), largely in South America, Africa, and Southeast Asia.  

Click here to read about the relationship between industrial timber harvests and deforestation rates globally.  

How can I find wood products that come from sustainably managed forests?
In the U.S., forestry is practiced under strict regulations that include protections for soil health, water quality, and wildlife habitat. Architects, engineers, and other design professionals can find additional assurance that timber comes from sustainably managed forests through mechanisms like certification to procurement or forest management standards.   Here are some common labels to look for as you seek wood products that meet your project’s sustainability goals: 
  Learn more: SFI On-Product Labels      Learn more: FSC On Product Labels   
These databases can help you identify mills with fiber certified to procurement or forest management standards: SFI Certified Organizations   |   FSC Public Certificate Search   |   PEFC Find Certified. You can also connect with companies individually to learn about their sustainable sourcing practices!  
What is clearcutting and why does the industry use it?
Clearcutting is a forest management practice in which most or all of the trees in a selected area are harvested at the same time. This approach allows for efficient wood removal and creates open conditions where sun‑loving young trees can receive the light they need to grow. Clearcutting sometimes raises public concern because recently harvested areas can resemble land cleared for development. However, unlike permanent land conversion, clearcuts are used in areas where trees are intentionally harvested and regrown as part of an ongoing forest management cycle.  As with all harvesting methods, clearcutting relies on forestry Best Management Practices (BMPs) to protect soil health and water quality during and after harvest. All major forest certification standards allow clearcutting, though each sets specific conditions for its use to ensure environmental responsibility. When applied in the appropriate forest type, clearcutting can be just as sustainable as other management practices, provided that soil is protected and the forest is regrown after harvest. In some instances, clear-cutting can provide important habitat for wildlife.  Learn more about clearcutting: HOW WE DO IT: Clearcutting   |   Oregon Forest Resource Institute: When is clearcutting the right choice? 
From a carbon sequestration perspective, is it better to let the existing trees remain standing or harvest and replant trees?
Both are valid ways to store carbon but only one creates wood products for buildings, which will store carbon throughout their service lives while simultaneously making room for new seedlings to grow. After a tree is harvested, a new one is regrown to continue the cycle of carbon sequestration. The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization report, “Forestry for a Low Carbon Future,” lists six key strategies for integrating forests and wood products into climate change strategies:  
  1. Plant more trees  
  2. Increase carbon density/stocks in existing forests  
  3. Increase wood product carbon storage  
  4. Reduce deforestation and degradation  
  5. Use biomass for energy, replacing fossil fuel  
  6. Use wood products in construction materials, avoiding fossil fuel emissions in manufacturing products with higher combined emissions 
More information on forest age and carbon sequestration rates: Forest Carbon from Young vs. Old Forests   Click here for more information on how harvest rotations contribute to sustainable forest management. 
Are forest management practices in the U.S. climate-smart?

The National Alliance of Forest Owners (NAFO) defines climate-smart forestry as “a dynamic and adaptable approach within sustainable forest management that optimizes climate adaption and mitigation outcomes” and recognizes the important role that different forest management practices have in achieving climate solutions. Forest carbon stocks can serve as a simple metric to determine if forest management practices are “climate-smart”. In the U.S., forest carbon stocks continue to increase each year, removing more carbon from the atmosphere than they emit (2026 GHG Inventory). However, it’s important to note that some management activities that may cause a net loss in forest carbon across a landscape might also be “climate-smart”. A good example of this is fuel load reduction treatments that reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfires but may also reduce the carbon stocks in the forest.  

What are growth-to-drain ratios?

Growth-to-drain ratios compare how much wood a forest grows each year after accounting for tree death and harvested wood. The U.S. growth-to-drain ratio is around 1.5:1 (Oswalt 2026), meaning U.S. forests grow ~1.5 as much wood as is harvested and lost to mortality each year. For the past 50 years, harvest removals have remained below 2% of standing tree inventory, while net tree growth (accounting for mortality) was near 3%. Currently, the volume of annual net timber growth is more than twice the volume of annual timber removals. (Oswalt 2026) 

As disturbances like wildfire and pest outbreaks rise, mortality is becoming an increasingly large factor in the growth-to-drain ratio, particularly in regions like the Rocky Mountains where there are high rates of insect infestations (Oswalt 2026). Mortality rates vary by region and typically range from 0.5% to 1% of standing inventory.  

While these ratios are certainly not the only indicators that can be used to determine forest sustainability, they are a simple way to show that, despite the U.S. being one of the world’s largest producers of wood products (FAO 2024), we are still harvesting at a sustainable level. 

Learn more about growth-to-drain ratios of private forests in the U.S. 

How many seedlings are planted each year and how many trees are harvested?

The forest sector plants around 1.2 billion seedlings per year (Haase et al. 2021). Just over 500 million of these trees are harvested each year from planted forest stands (FIA data). Another 175 million trees are lost to mortality. The members of the National Alliance of Forest Owners (NAFO), which represent the largest and most intentionally intensively managed forests for timber production calculate their three-year average of seedlings planted which was 400,039,899 in 2025.

If more wood is used in products, does the size and health of the forest decrease? Is deforestation a concern in the U.S.?
First, deforestation is defined as changing from a forest to a non-forest use. Urbanization, not the production of forest products, is the single biggest threat facing U.S. forests today. Wood in the US is harvested from working forests, which exclude protected and nonproductive lands. Readily accessible, healthy markets for timber help ensure landowners will have the means to regenerate their forest after harvest.  While it may seem counter-intuitive, forest product demand can actually lead to more forests. Demand for forest products provides revenue to landowners, incentivizing them to invest in their forests through replanting, management, and forest health treatments. Data show that global regions with the highest levels of industrial timber harvest and forest product output are also regions with the lowest rates of deforestation.  
How does the forest products industry avoid over-harvesting?

Forest managers in the U.S. plan for decades ahead of harvest, with future generations in mind. Roughly 2% of U.S. working forests experience a harvest each year. (NAFO DataViz) Foresters, whether for large companies, small family landowners, or tribal forests, invest significant time and thought into developing long-term plans for intentional regeneration of harvested sites. Forest management companies often use advanced growth models based on real world measurements to help them understand how their forests will grow over time and how much they can harvest on an annual basis.  The US Forest Service also publishes a Resource Planning Assessment every ten years that reports on the status of U.S. forests and projects future forest resources to ensure harvests remain at a sustainable level.  

Currently, U.S. forests grow nearly ~1.5 times as much wood as is harvested and lost to mortality each year (Prisley and Sonne Hall 2023) and remove approximately 855 million net tonnes of CO2 equivalent from the atmosphere (2026 GHG Inventory).