Florida’s forests are one of our most valuable renewable resources - already providing clean air, water, wildlife habitat and recreation, as well as producing more than 5,000 products that people rely upon for their everyday lives. For many decades, Florida’s Pulp and Paper Industry (FPPAEA) and the forestry community has responsibly grown and harvested trees meeting the increasing demands of a growing population without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

Should the renewable supply of woody biomass from Florida’s forest be used as a raw material for the production of products or as a fuel for electricity?

With the rapidly growing interest in using the forest resource - or woody biomass - for bioenergy, and the subsequent potential for a dramatic increase in demand on this relatively long rotation crop, Florida must take great caution to ensure the sustainability of its forest resources. More than ever before, Florida needs accurate and timely data - at a wood basket level - to understand the growth and drain of this renewable resource in order to make sound policy decisions that incentivize reforestation to ensure the sustainability of our State's forests and provide for the use, as a renewable energy source, products produced from wood after reaching the end of their useful life cycle.

It is a fact that promoting the use of Florida’s forests for pulp and paper first and electricity last provides Florida with a better economy, more jobs, a better environment, and protects the sustainability of Florida’s forest.