ST. LOUIS, Nov. 16, 2010 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The United States Senate has passed a resolution supporting hardwood by recognizing it as an environmentally preferable building material. Resolution S. Res. 411 recognizes United States hardwoods as an abundant, sustainable, and legal resource. The Senate also mandates that United States hardwoods and products derived from these hardwoods be given full consideration in any program that promotes the construction of environmentally preferable commercial, public, or private buildings. The Resolution specifically identifies United States hardwoods as an abundant, sustainable, and legal resource as documented annually by the Forest Inventory and Analysis Program of the United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service. The USDA analysis shows that the hardwood inventory in the United States has more than doubled during the past 50 years, and that annual hardwood growth currently exceeds annual hardwood removals by a margin of 1.9 to 1, meaning that for every tree harvested in the United States, nearly two are planted in its place. The study further shows that annual growth of United States hardwoods has exceeded annual removals every year since 1952.
