Illinois' total forest acreage, when our first settlers came to the
State, included 15,273,000 acres of the finest timber to be found in the
Middle West. This represented 42 per cent of the total acreage. Although
Illinois today is considered strictly an agricultural State, at one time
we were rich in forest resources and they were the State's most valuable
asset. Today Illinois has but 3,996,000 acres of woodlands of which 92%
is in private ownership. The trained foresters of the Division of
Forestry are making every effort to assist farmers and landowners in
their woodland management problems. It is vitally necessary that proper
forestry practices be conducted on our woodlands today in order that the
landowners realize an income from their forest lands and thereby make
them an asset rather than a liability. Advice on woodland management is
available free of charge from the Division.
The marketing and proper utilization of our existing forest resources is
the concern of the Division of Forestry. Approximately 1,000 small
sawmills are operating in the State and, of course, much timber is
needed annually to keep such mills in operation. Every effort is being
made to advise timber landowners as to proper cutting practices and
disposal of merchantable timber.