Factors Affecting Forest Growth-to-Drain Ratio at Sub-regional Scale in Arkansas, USA

Abstract The forest growth-to-drain ratio (FGDR) serves as a pivotal gauge for forest sustainability. Over the last four decades, FGDR has ranged from 0.66 to more than 2.5 in the southern United States, however, the underlying factors affecting this ratio are not well understood. We employed a mixed-effects model to obtain better insights into factors affecting FGDR on a sub-regional (county) scale in Arkansas. Results showed an overall 1.6 FGDR indicating net forest growth was higher than removals. The ratio was higher in hardwood as compared to softwood due to demand for softwood and most mills are located in the softwood-dominated region of the state. Factors such as number of consulting foresters and area of forestland showed negative statistical significance to the FGDR whereas income from forestry showed positive statistical significance. Effective outreach programs are imperative to increase public acceptance and capitalize on the socio-economic and ecological benefits of wood utilization.