Forests of Texas

There are 63.2 million acres of forestland across the state of Texas. That’s slightly more area than the entire state of Wyoming. We know how much forestland is in Texas because of Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA), a partnership between Texas A&M Forest Service and the U.S. Forest Service to collect data throughout the state. This map of Texas forestland was created using that data in conjunction with satellite imagery, soils information, climate data, topography, and other environmental factors. It was designed to match how FIA defines forestland — land at least an acre in size and 120 feet wide that has at least 10 percent canopy cover by live trees of any size, including land that has had such cover and will be naturally or artificially regenerated. Here, the forest map is shown in combination with a hillshade (shaded topography) derived from the National Elevation Dataset.

Some people are surprised to see that there is so much forestland in Central and West Texas. The dominant forest types in these areas are mesquite and juniper-pine. Forests in Central and West Texas contain over 400 million tons of aboveground biomass, an average of 7.9 tons per acre.

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Forests in Texas cover more area than the entire state of Wyoming! https://t.co/LYbwoy7fv1#MapMonday#MonthlyMapMonday#FIApic.twitter.com/Sc8y40hz10

— TXA&M Forest Service (@TXForestService) December 18, 2017