Forests cover nearly half the state of Kentucky and are the foundation of a forest sector that is a major economic force in the Commonwealth. This webpage contains the latest Kentucky forest sector economic contribution estimates, prior estimates, links to data sources and methods, as well as additional information related to the economic importance of Kentucky’s forest resources. 

The 2022 economic contributions of Kentucky’s forest sector include:

  • $9.08 billion in direct economic contribution
  • $13.5 billion in total economic contributions
  • 25,825 jobs in the forest sector and an estimated 49,109 jobs overall

The Kentucky Forest Sector is divided into six sub-sectors:  

  • Logging
  • Primary Wood Manufacturing
  • Pulp and Paper
  • Secondary Wood Manufacturing
  • Paper Converters
  • Wood Residue

Each of these sub-sectors is comprised of multiple forest businesses.