Volpe Woodworks reference
Kentucky hardwood forest statistics, 2026.
Seven current figures for writers, makers, researchers, and anyone who wants a practical view of the forest resource behind Kentucky hardwood.
Last updated October 16, 2026. Based on the USDA Forest Service’s 2024 Kentucky inventory, published in 2026.
At a glance
A state built around hardwood.
Kentucky’s woods are varied, but oak-hickory is the dominant forest type. That matters to furniture makers, restorers, and veneer users because the state’s forest resource is broad, living, and mostly in private hands. The figures below are a clear starting point, with the date and source beside every number.
Volpe Woodworks is based in Louisville and sells raw wood veneer one sheet at a time. This page is a reference, not a claim about the origin of any individual sheet in the collection.
12.36M
acres of forest land
Kentucky’s 2024 inventory counted 12,364,084 acres of forest land, or 49% of the state’s sampled land area.
Source: USDA Forest Service, Forests of Kentucky, 2024, 202674.8%
is oak-hickory forest
Oak-hickory is Kentucky’s largest forest-type group, covering 9,251,016 acres of forest land in the 2024 inventory.
Source: USDA Forest Service, Forests of Kentucky, 2024, 202688%
is privately owned
Private ownerships, including corporations, trusts, individuals, and Tribal lands, account for 88% of Kentucky forest land.
Source: USDA Forest Service, Forests of Kentucky, 2024, 202640.10B
cubic feet of live-tree volume
The inventory measured 40,097,360,206 cubic feet of sound bark and wood in Kentucky’s live trees 5 inches in diameter and larger.
Source: USDA Forest Service, Forests of Kentucky, 2024, 202614.3%
of live-tree volume is yellow-poplar
Yellow-poplar is the leading species by volume in the 2024 inventory. White oak follows at 9.6%, and sugar maple at 6.8%.
Source: USDA Forest Service, Forests of Kentucky, 2024, 20261,096
million cubic feet of annual growth
Average annual growth was 1,096 million cubic feet. Average removals were 326 million cubic feet and mortality was 337 million cubic feet, for a net annual change of 433 million cubic feet.
Source: USDA Forest Service, Forests of Kentucky, 2024, 20261.07B
metric tons of stored forest carbon
Kentucky forest land held an estimated 1,070,971,164 metric tons of carbon in the 2024 inventory.
Source: USDA Forest Service, Forests of Kentucky, 2024, 2026Method and sources
How to read these figures.
Every number on this page comes from the USDA Forest Service’s Forests of Kentucky, 2024: FIA Annual Snapshot, published September 2026. The Forest Inventory and Analysis program builds state estimates from field plots on public and private land. Estimates are snapshots, and the source reports sampling error where applicable.
The source uses “forest land” for land with at least 10% tree canopy cover, or evidence that it will be regenerated, with a minimum area of one acre. “Live-tree volume” includes sound bark and wood in trees 5 inches in diameter and larger.
Cite this page
Use a stable link for the figure you need.
Suggested citation: Volpe Woodworks. “Kentucky Hardwood Forest Statistics, 2026.” Accessed October 16, 2026. https://volpewoodworks.com/kentucky-hardwood-forest-statistics
Link directly to a statistic by adding its anchor, such as #oak-hickory or #annual-growth. Please cite the USDA Forest Service source alongside this page when precision matters.
For the workbench
Choose the sheet, not just the species.
When the grain will be visible, the character of the individual sheet matters as much as the wood name. Browse real pieces, or get a second set of eyes on a project.