Privately initiated forestry and forest products research and development: Current status and future challenges

Forestry and forest products research and development (R&D) investments in the United States are estimated to be $1.3 billion annually, of which $875 million to $895 million originates from the private sector. Forest products R&D accounts for the bulk of these investments, $815 million to $825 million. Private forestry R&D investments are in the range of $60 million to $70 million. Compared with companies operating in nonwood markets, investments in forestry and forest products R&D by private industrial concerns are often less in absolute magnitude and in proportion to various economic measures. Since the early 1980s, private forestry and forest products R&D interests have aggressively sought out cooperative research arrangements with other private concerns and with universities. The forestry R&D segment of private company research programs is increasingly being directed toward environmental problems, often at the expense of more traditional concerns of forestry research.