Since 1960, National Forest Products Week has been celebrated during the third week of October, offering a time to learn about and appreciate the importance of forest products and those who produce them. 

Kentucky is a heavily forested state with a strong forest industry. Renewable forest products are used in all areas of our lives, positively impacting the environment and economy. The forest industry contributes $19 billion annually and supports the $9 billion bourbon industry with white oak trees, used to create bourbon barrels. 

Chad Niman, forest products specialist with the Department of Forestry and Natural Resources (FNR), explains the impact this week holds.  

“Forestry breaks all of the rural-urban divide traditional mindsets, with facilities making wood products in our big cities as well as small communities around the Commonwealth,” Niman said. 

In Louisville, for example, secondary finished goods manufacturing contributes roughly $3 billion annually to the forest industry. Additionally, Cynthiana's facility creates the most Post-It notes in the world.  

“There are so many products from medicines to structural building components to our architectural finishes. Everything we get at the store has travelled on multiple wood items, which a lot of folks don't think about,” Niman said. 

Recently, Forest and Natural resources curriculum has been introduced in high schools through ForestryWorks Kentucky^©. Connecting all 120 counties to this curriculum approved by the Kentucky Department of Education allows more young people to know about the importance of forests and understand careers throughout the industry.  

At the University of Kentucky, this week is jam-packed with events hosted by the Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food, and Environment FNR, UK Extension and industry stakeholders: 

• Monday, Oct. 20: Cookout and mobile workshop
• Tuesday, Oct. 21: Scavenger hunt
• Wednesday, Oct. 22: From the Woods Today — What Does the Kentucky Office of State Entomologists Do & How Invasive Insects Have Affected the Wood Industry.
• Thursday, Oct. 23, and Friday, Oct. 24: Robinson Center Dry Kiln Workshop

“I always tell folks that we celebrate forest products and forests every day. This week is a chance to celebrate this huge contribution that forests make to our everyday lives. They really do reduce our impact and make us healthier,” Niman said. “There are so many reasons to celebrate forest products and their contribution to agriculture in Kentucky and Kentuckian wellbeing.” 

To learn more about FNR, forest management, forest products and other wooded resources, visit http://forestry.ca.uky.edu.