This page contains some basic facts about Kentucky's forests and brief information about division programs.

General Information about Kentucky's Forest

Kentucky has one of the most diverse hardwood species mix in the nation.
There are 11.9 million acres of forestland in Kentucky.

Kentucky is 47 percent forested.

Eighty-nine percent of Kentucky's forestland is privately owned.

Wildfires

Forest fires are a major threat to Kentucky's forests.
The average number of wildland fires in Kentucky each year is 1,447.

Arson is the number one cause of wildland fires in Kentucky. Ninety-nine percent of all wildfires in Kentucky are human caused.

The second leading cause of wildland fires is uncontrolled debris burning.

The worst fire year in Kentucky in the last decade was 2001. Of the 178,925 acres that burned, 146,058 were attributed to arson.

Unlike firefighting in the western United States, hand crews put out most of the wildland fires in Kentucky.
Aircraft assistance is used only in extreme situations.

Timber Industry

The division inspects commercial timber harvest operations statewide to ensure that loggers are complying with the Kentucky Forest Conservation Act.

Forest landowners work with state agencies on timber harvesting methods to protect streams and wetlands and to improve habitat for big game, birds, fish and other wildlife.

There are more than 3,500 forest industries in the state. These industries employ more than 30,000 Kentuckians.

More than $4.5 billion of revenue is generated annually from the primary and secondary wood industries.

Kentucky ranks second nationally in hardwood production.

The top three species of lumber produced are white oak, yellow poplar and red oak.

Big Trees of Kentucky

The tallest tree in the state is a yellow poplar in the Beaver Creek area of McCreary County. It is 168 feet tall.

The largest recorded tree in Kentucky is an American Sycamore on Grassy Creek in Montgomery County. It is 440 inches (more than 36 feet) in circumference. This tree is the current national champion American Sycamore!

The Kentucky State Tree is the tulip poplar, also called yellow-poplar.

The Kentucky coffeetree is the state heritage tree.

The Kentucky Division of Forestry has many programs to assist with managing the state's forests.

Landowner Assistance and Stewardship

The division offers free technical assistance to all woodland owners.

Foresters work with landowners with greater than 10 forested acres to create a stewardship management plan. Landowners with less than 10 acres of forestland can also receive free assistance through the division's forest management program.

Urban Forestry Assistance

The division provides technical assistance and grant opportunities to communities of all sizes.

State Forest Program

The division currently manages seven state forests. These forests are open to the public. Hunting, hiking and primitive camping are permitted in most of the state forests.

Nursery and Tree Seedling Program

The division operates two tree nurseries and raises approximately four to five million seedlings a year to sell during the spring and fall planting seasons.

Landowner Assistance

The division works with other state and federal agencies to provide cost-share information to woodland owners.

Forest Health

The division continuously monitors pests and diseases that threaten the health of Kentucky's forests.