MONTANA
The BBER’s Forest Industry Research Program works throughout the Western United States doing a variety of research and data collection projects. This page pulls together information and data the program has compiled for the state of Montana.
Forest Products Industry and Timber Harvest Reports
In cooperation with the USDA Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) program, the Bureau conducts a census of the forest industry in each state, collecting detailed information on the industry’s size, diversity and economic impacts.
This project was made possible, in part, by funding from the Northwest Advanced Renewables Alliance (NARA) supported by the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative Competitive Grant no. 2011-68005-30416 from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture.
Impacts of the Mountain Pine Beetle on Sawmill Operations, Costs, and Product Values in Montana
Dan Loeffler and Nathaniel Anderson
Sawmill Energy Consumption
On-Site Energy Consumption at Softwood Sawmills in Montana
Dan Loeffler, Nathaniel Anderson, Todd A. Morgan, Colin B. Sorenson
Montana Quarterly Log Prices
Under the sponsorship of the Inland Northwest Forest Products Research Consortium, the Bureau maintains a system to provide current mill-delivered prices for logs in Montana. These prices are based on quarterly surveys of Montana timber-processing plants.
Intermountain Region Quarterly Log Prices
With the support of the USDA Forest Service Intermountain Region, the Bureau has developed a system to provide current mill-delivered prices for sawlogs and specialty products in the Intermountain Region (R4). These prices are based on quarterly surveys of timber-processing plants that receive logs or specialty products from ownerships in the R4 geographic area. Mill-delivered prices are reported quarterly by product type and species.
Forest Industry Outlook Reports
As part of its annual Economic Outlook Seminars, the Bureau’s Forest Industry Research Program prepares an annual report on the outlook for the forest products industry in the state.
Timber Harvest
In cooperation with the Forest Service’s Pacific Northwest Research Station, the BBER has developed a new interactive tool allowing users to access timber harvest data at the county- and ownership-level. (click here)
Logging Costs
The Bureau of Business and Economic Research at the University of Montana-Missoula is conducting an ongoing logging cost study to characterize Montana timber harvest costs.
2019 Estimating Harvesting Costs
2019 Rocky Mountain Log Hauling Rates Poster
2017 Estimating Harvesting Costs
Timber Processing Capacity
Timber Use, Processing Capacity, and Capability to Utilize Small-Diameter Timber Within USDA Forest Service, Region One (Montana, Idaho) (click here)
Logging Utilization
The BBER’s logging utilization studies provide information on the diameter distribution of harvested trees, descriptions of harvesting techniques and equipment used by loggers, and removals factors describing the proportion of material utilized and left in the woods from growing-stock and sawtimber sources.
Logging Utilization in Montana, 2011- 2016
Montana Logging Utilization, 2012-2016 Poster presented at the 2017 Society of American Foresters Annual Convention.
2017 Estimating felled-tree stump volumes in the Pacific Northwest (poster)
2002 Montana Logging Utilization Full report (pdf)
Montana Wage & Production Reports
To provide up-to-date information about the operations of Montana’s forest products industry, the Bureau, in cooperation with the Inland Northwest Forest Products Research Consortium, maintains a system to report lumber employment, wages, and production. This information, based on a survey of Montana’s largest timber-processing facilities, is reported quarterly.
The Montana Manufacturers Information System is a directory which lists Montana manufactures and industrial service providers. This directory started with data the Forest Industry Research Program collected on Montana's wood products manufactures and which continues to maintain and manage the directory. The wood products section of the directory can be accessed here.
Biomass Studies
With data collected directly from mills over several decades the Forest Industry Group can and has utilized this data along with economic, forest management and research expertise to extract, collect and analyze data on biomass flows and availability.
Workforce and Employment
Forestry workers and businesses are a critical component of the forest industry, providing the labor and expertise to produce goods and manage our natural resources. Understanding the capacity to meet current and future demands and the barriers and challenges forestry businesses face are essential to maintaining a strong industry across all segments of the supply chain. The BBER also tracks the economic contribution of the industry at the state and regional level.
Northwest Advanced Renewables Alliance (NARA)
The Northwest Advanced Renewables Alliance has brought together scientists from public universities, government laboratories and private industry from throughout the Northwest, and beyond, to focus on developing ways to turn one of the region's most plentiful commodities—wood and wood waste—into jet fuel.
Mill Residue Production and Use in Montana, 2009 Poster
This project was made possible, in part, by funding from the Northwest Advanced Renewables Alliance (NARA) supported by the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative Competitive Grant no. 2011-68005-30416 from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture.
