The importance of forests to Alabama cannot be understated. With proper forest management, Alabama’s 23 million acres of forests will continue to provide wildlife habitat, clean air and water, recreational opportunities, and aesthetic beauty now and into the future. These same forests also serve as working forests that support a robust forest industry striving to meet the public demand for forest products. The forest products derived from our state’s forests remain renewable as demonstrated through the ongoing cycle of harvest, product utilization, and reforestation.

The Alabama Forestry Commission assists stakeholders with managing the forests in ways that are beneficial today, tomorrow, and for years to come. Promoting sustainable forestry practices helps to strike a balance between the utilization of the forest's natural resources and the vitality of the forest ecosystem. The agency oversees programs to help strike this balance and provide beneficial services for landowners including developing written forest management plans, developing stand management recommendations, promoting forest certification, installing fire breaks and implementing prescribed fire on the landscape. These actions promote healthy sustainable forests.