The U.S. hardwood forest products industry employs over 1.8 million people and contributes $348 billion to the U.S. economy, according to a new economic impact study conducted by Agribusiness Consulting.

“We are an economic driver in small towns and rural America,” Kip Howlett, president of the Decorative Hardwoods Association, said in a statement announcing the study’s results. “This industry is based on environmentally sustainable raw materials. Beautiful natural products combine with wildlife habitat protection, air and water quality benefits, and mitigation to a changing climate.”

For more, visit www.decorativehardwoods.org.