State Report for Kentucky

For Kentucky, estimated merchantable wood volume is expected to increase from 26.692 billion cubic-feet to 30.283 billion (a change of 13.5%), while estimated sawlog wood volume is expected to increase from 15.03 billion cubic-feet to 17.138 billion (14%). Estimated merchantable bole biomass is expected to increase from 507.78 million tons to 546.46 million (7.6%), while estimated stump biomass is expected to decrease from 29.189 million tons to 27.641 million (-5.3%), and estimated tops and limbs biomass is expected to increase from 122.36 million tons to 208.23 million (70.2%). Finally, estimated aboveground biomass is expected to increase from 705.34 million tons to 837 million, a change of 18.7%.

Figure 1: Percent difference in volume and biomass for Kentucky

Species breakdown

The top ten species in Kentucky in terms of standing biomass are white oak, yellow- poplar, sugar maple, chestnut oak, red maple, pignut hickory, American beech, northern red oak, black oak, and scarlet oak. These species account for 61.2% of the total aboveground biomass and 61.4% of the total merchantable volume. For merchantable wood volume, the species with the smallest percent change was red maple 11%, while the largest percent change was with American beech 28%. For total aboveground biomass, the species with the smallest percent change was scarlet oak 9.1%, while the largest percent change was with American beech 33.9%. For sawlog wood volume, the species with the smallest percent change was white oak 11.9%, while the largest percent change was with American beech 33.3%. For merchantable bole biomass, the species with the smallest percent change was northern red oak -0.4%, while the largest percent change was with pignut hickory 18.5%. For stump wood and bark biomass, the species with the smallest percent change was chestnut oak -2.9%, while the largest percent change was with scarlet oak -14.3%. For top and limb biomass, the species with the smallest percent change was yellow- poplar 1.6%, while the largest percent change was with American beech 141.6%.

Figure 2: Percent difference in total aboveground biomass and merchantable volume for the top ten species in Kentucky

Figure 3: Percent difference in component biomass and volume for the top ten species in Kentucky