Brattleboro - Despite the importance of the forestry industry to Vermont's economy, fundamental shifts in the market for low-grade wood threaten the survival of many small businesses and the viability of the state's forests.

"We manage our forests for all kinds of things including durable wood products," said Michael Snyder, Commissioner of Vermont Forests, Parks and Recreation. "We specialize in high-grade, high-value-added wood products. In fact, they are world renowned. But in order to grow that high-quality product, we need to manage the woods."

And managing the woods entails - just like cultivating a garden - pulling the weeds, said Paul Frederick, Wood Utilization and Wood Energy Project Leader for the Vermont Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation. "We need to weed out the garden to let the healthier trees utilize the space. If we don't have the markets for the soft wood, that work is very difficult."

According to the National Forest Service, there are 88 different tree and shrub species in Vermont, the most common of which are beech, birch, maple, ash, aspen, oak, fir, spruce, hemlock, brambles, raspberry hobblebush, viburnum, and spirea. Hemlock is the leading softwood species, often found growing with eastern white pine. Balsam fir and spruce are the primary species used in the manufacture of wood fiber. Of the hardwood species, sugar maple is the most prevalent, followed by American beech, red maple, yellow and paper birch, and white ash.

"Forest products are an economic engine in Vermont and are responsible for $1.4 billion every year," said Snyder.

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