17.5M
acres of forest land
Maine's 2018 forest inventory measured about 17.5 million acres of forest land.
Source: USDA Forest Service, 2018 inventoryMaine Land Reference
Maine Forest Statistics
A practical reference for Maine forest land, wildfire activity, and the working-forest economy.
Last updated August 7, 2026
Maine ground, in context
Maine's forests shape how land is accessed, maintained, managed, and prepared for the next use. The figures below bring together the latest available statewide inventory, wildfire, and economic reports in one place.
Each statistic has a stable link for sharing and a named primary source. Dates matter because statewide data is published on different schedules.
89%
of Maine is forested
Forest land accounts for about 89 percent of Maine's total land area.
Source: USDA Forest Service, 2018 inventory95%
of forest land is timberland
The 2018 inventory classified 95 percent of Maine forest land as timberland.
Source: USDA Forest Service, 2018 inventory2.2:1
growth-to-removals ratio
Annual forest growth outpaced removals by a ratio of 2.2 to 1 in the 2018 inventory summary.
Source: USDA Forest Service, 2018 inventory681
wildfire events per year
Maine averaged 681 reported wildfire events annually during 2021 through 2025.
Source: Maine Forest Service, 2021-2025 review95%
of fires are human-caused
The Maine Forest Service reports that people cause approximately 95 percent of the state's wildfires.
Source: Maine Forest Service, 2021-2025 review$8.3B
in total sector output
Maine's forest products sector contributed an estimated $8.3 billion in total output to the state economy in 2024.
Source: 2024 statewide economic report29,000+
full- and part-time jobs
The same 2024 economic analysis attributes more than 29,000 full- and part-time jobs to Maine's forest products sector.
Source: 2024 statewide economic reportFor Maine Landowners
What these numbers mean on the ground
Forest conditions, access, retained trees, water movement, and the work planned after clearing all influence the right approach for a property. A vegetation-management project can be useful on its own, or it can be the first step toward a road, homesite, utility route, or a larger site plan.
Cross Country works across Northern New England on forestry mulching, land clearing, access, excavation, drainage, and environmental site work. The scope starts with what the property needs to do next.
Explore Maine forestry mulching servicesMethodology & Sources
How this page is maintained
Statistics are taken directly from the named reports. Each figure keeps the source's original reporting period, rather than being presented as a newer estimate. This page is reviewed monthly and refreshed sooner when a key source publishes an update.
- USDA Forest Service, Maine Forests 2018: Summary Report
2022
Five-year forest inventory data collected through 2018. This is the latest statewide forest inventory summary used on this page. - Maine Forest Service, State of the Forest 2021-2025
April 2026 review draft
Maine Forest Service report to the Legislature covering forest conditions, wildfire activity, programs, and emerging issues. - 2024 Statewide Economic Contribution of Maine's Forest Products Sector
October 2025
Statewide economic analysis of the forest products sector and its multiplier effects.
Cite This Page
Share a Maine land reference
Cross Country Land Services. “Maine Forest Statistics: Land, Wildfire & Economy.” Updated August 7, 2026. https://crosscountrylandservices.com/maine-forest-statistics