Where U.S. Forests are Located

Hiking through the Redwood forest — Jordan Siemens/DigitalVision/Getty Images

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Updated on February 02, 2019

The Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) Program of the U.S. Forest Service is continually surveying all United States forests including Alaska and Hawaii. FIA coordinates the only continuous national forest census. This survey specifically addresses the land use question and determines whether that use is primarily for forestry or for some other use.

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Where U.S. Forests are Located: Forestland Areas with the Most Trees

Forest Tree Densities by Growing Stock by U.S. County and State — USFS/FIA

This forestland location map indicates where most of the individual trees are concentrated (based on existing growing stock) in the U.S. by county and state. The lighter green map shade means fewer tree densities while darker green means larger tree densities. No color means very few trees.

FIA refers to number of trees as a stocking level and sets this standard: "Forest land is considered land at least 10 percent stocked by trees of any size, or formerly having such tree cover, and not currently developed for non-forest uses, with a minimum area classification of 1 acre."

This map shows the spatial distribution of the nation's forest land in 2007 as a percentage of county land area to county tree density.

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Where U.S. Forests are Located: Areas Designated Forestland

This forestland location map indicates areas (in acres) classified as forest land based on the minimum definition of existing growing stocking by U.S. county. The lighter green map shade means less available acres for growing trees while darker green means more available acres for potential tree stocking.

FIA refers to number of trees as a stocking level and sets this standard: "Forest land is considered land at least 10 percent stocked by trees of any size, or formerly having such tree cover, and not currently developed for non-forest uses, with a minimum area classification of 1 acre."

This map shows the spatial distribution of the nation's forest land in 2007 by county but does not consider stocking levels and tree densities beyond the above set standard.