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Source: LSU AgCenter extension team compilation; Visualized by Huizhen Niu
Louisiana is home to 29 sawmills, with 20 softwood sawmills (including six mixed sawmills) and nine hardwood sawmills. These sawmills play a crucial role in shaping the economy and landscape of Louisiana. The sawmill industry provides direct employment for almost 2,000 people in Louisiana and contributed $662 million to the state’s economy.
Selecting the right location for a sawmill is a rather complicated process. Tree species, site productivity, market characteristics and logistical considerations all come into play in determining where to build a sawmill facility. This map shows that a large portion of sawmills is situated in the northwest and central areas of the state where timber resources are abundant. When taking a closer look at the map, we can find these facilities usually are located adjacent to the highways or railroads. The map confirms that accessibility and availability of timber resources are the two main determining factors in the location of sawmill facilities.
The main purpose of this map is to help landowners find mill facilities and support our state’s timber industry. It also allows potential new sawmills to identify competitors and avoid the potential competition despite the fact that the sawmill and wood production industry in Louisiana has remained at a relatively low level of competition for a while.
The LSU AgCenter and the LSU College of Agriculture
