U.S. demand for our lumber to

Arti
J. Rare Smyth
Research Director
TWA. CANADA

N October, 1991 the U.S. Com-

uy, eprovinclal govern-
ents for public timber.

aims ing duty case, ne US. Coalition

from domestic production. The U.S.
Coalition alleges that, because the
eanadian agadusEny, has been under-

suppressed and pat margins of

sharp productio:
ofa peveres decline in the Us s. lumber
market ove

438 million board feet from its 1987
t 13) bil illio nm board feet

shows that tUS.c consumption fel Sees
a record 50.6 billion board feet (BBF)
in 1987, to an estimated 43.1 BBF in
1991, a decrease of 7.5 billion board
fe

sult, softwood lumber pro-
duction ‘has also fallen rein tally

990.
tae pr aie ion continued in all
regions. However ae alot in n the
U.S. South w mod

approximately

— and much of ies was pore by

restrictions eee on timber ‘har
ig by

nousTaY PROSPECTS FOR 1992 AND

oun-

Bie federal lands. As a result, the
roar was all but shut down eB:

Ing. the jast quarter of the y

mise legislation p a

1991 ce
tervaing vty petition is ae
ate beca es will

dian softwood lumber imports by 1992,
aaa particularly by 1993. Hising con-
in U.S.

South. Table 2 shows that between

region.

1987 and 1990 Can
meted by 3.1 billion board feet, com-
Pared toa 2.4 BBF fall in US. produc-

ree Canadian lumber, imports. into

BBF, matching the decrease in Us.
output. British Columbia Seduction
dropped by a whopping 1.7 billio:

board feet. By sharp contrast, U.S.
southern pine region output rose by

In alln
the U.S. poor brad pine, pions ree
employment it and hours worke a have

‘or in

during late 1991 almost one-t i rd “ot
British Columbia sawmill workers
c

See Sees of panect
1aebes

Table 1 reveals that U.S. consump-
tion will rise frond 43.1 billion board
feet in ee to
1993 dem:
to pee the a 8 leve
48.5 BBF — a rise of almos
bullion board feet over the 1991 Tevel
Increased housing d

feet ee than the U.S. market con-
sume in 1987, it still represents: a

dramatic shortages that will develop
in U.S. timber supplies.

THE GROWING SHORTFALL IN U.S.
TIMBER SUPPLIES
By 1992, the United States will

supplies — especially in Ore; on and
Washington. The vi

lumber production boom in that
region. By 1989, however, the envi-

to be mandated for the 1990
ies year, court actions since then
have virtually wiped out the fess
timber sales Programas for the 1991

and 1992 fiscal yea
During early 1990 ¢ a study commis-
sioned by @ the US. Forest |

sales in Oregon and Siechie ston,

Known as the Thomas Report,
study set a maximum tim!
devel for the national forests of 2.

legislation now being

Orsecns Pe Robert Pack yoo
icated that, if the bill p

Ora board feet is the maxil

ed against individual timber sales

8/LUMBERWORKER/APRIL, 1992

ile: a