Louisiana

Forest Action Plan

Growing and protecting Louisiana’s forests and future

The state of Louisiana is blessed with abundant natural resources. Commerce stemming from the state’s timber assets is second only to state’s petroleum and natural gas industry. Abundant water, a sub-tropic climate, and high-quality soils form the foundation of the state’s ability to generate both excellent pine and hardwood stands.

Over the past three-quarters of a century, it has been the Office of Forestry which has led the way in providing landowner assistance and protection to these assets. The Office of Forestry has assessed our past, present, and future as well as specific strategies for success. Our Forest Action Plan will designate the state’s regions that demonstrate the greatest concern or opportunity and portray how the Office has analyzed the threats at hand and allocated our resources to best serve the citizens and landowners of Louisiana.

Conserving working forests sustainably for future generations

With over 80% of Louisiana’s forest being privately owned, a great opportunity exists to educate, encourage, and assist landowners in multi-use forestry practices. One of the challenges facing the forest community and landowners is the lack of active management on private lands. A large number of forest landowners are unaware of the options to manage their property, as well as the challenges facing landowners due to a lack of knowledge about current market conditions and difficulty in contracting logging crews, which increases forest health and wildfire issues.

The Louisiana Office of Forestry is able to address this challenge with the Stewardship Program and the Forest Productivity Program. Both programs will help to address the management and financial challenges that may occur in ownership. Additional assistance is available from LDAF partners, LSU AgCenter, USDA, FSA, and the NRCS offices and programs.

Protection and management of our valuable forestlands is necessary for future generations

Persistence of longleaf pine forests requires one regular disturbance – fire. Maintaining and increasing this biodiversity will not be accomplished through hands-off protection efforts alone, quite the opposite is needed. Longleaf ecosystems require considerable effort to restore, and are only maintained through the frequent use of prescribed burning.

The result is a unique situation where timber production, game management, and biodiversity conservation are not only compatible, but mutually beneficial. Fire stimulates flowering by many of the herbaceous plants, reduces invasion by woody species common in hardwood forests, and allows dominance by longleaf pine.

Enhancing recreational opportunities, wildlife habitat, watershed protection, and the air quality value of our forestlands

Demands on forest resources continues to increase, such as those for recreation, soil and water conservation, and wildlife habitat. Competition for land continues as more and more acres available for growing and harvesting trees are converted to agriculture, highways, and urban development. Due to the number of changes in the last 20 years and fluctuating market prices, landowners need to be aware of current market conditions and the options available for sustainable forest management.

Reengaging private landowners is a necessary step in energizing active forest management to the benefit of future timber markets, forest health, and wildland fire management. Cost-share programs, technical assistance, and outreach forums are all practical steps that the Louisiana Office of Forestry can take to secure Louisiana’s future working forests.

Best Management Practices

Louisiana’s best management practices (BMPs) program is non-regulatory. The agency responsible for BMPs policy development is the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry.

Click here to view the most recent BMPs recommendations on the state forestry agency website.

Click the following links to view available BMP monitoring data and implementation rates from NASF’s 2015 BMP survey and NASF’s 2019 BMP survey.

Forest Action Plan

Growing and protecting Louisiana’s forests and future

Conserving working forests sustainably for future generations

Protection and management of our valuable forestlands is necessary for future generations

Enhancing recreational opportunities, wildlife habitat, watershed protection, and the air quality value of our forestlands

Best Management Practices

Louisiana Forestry Publications

State Management Plans

Louisiana Contact Information