Documenting Twenty Years of the Contracted Labor-Intensive Forestry Workforce on National Forest System Lands in the United States

Abstract

This paper presents the first nationwide analysis detailing the scope and scale of labor-intensive forestry contracts performed on National Forest System lands and examines the businesses contracted, location and types of work performed, and distance traveled by businesses between 2001 and 2020. During the study period, 61,698 contracts were awarded to 7,896 businesses, totaling $12.9 million, to perform labor-intensive forestry work, with most work being contracted for wildfire-related activities. Businesses were typically located in western states and non-minority owned businesses received the majority of contracts. Of minority-owned businesses, Hispanic American–owned businesses received the most contracts. The median distance that businesses traveled to accomplish work increased significantly through time but differed by business type. Understanding the scope and work of businesses awarded contracts provides insight into the workforce and its relationship to marginalized populations. Strategic investment in this workforce may have widespread impacts on federal, state, and local economies and the livelihoods of forest workers. Study Implications Between 2001–2020, the USDA Forest Service spent billions of dollars on contracts with thousands of businesses to conduct labor-intensive forestry projects; however, project locations and awarded businesses were not evenly distributed through space and time. Emerging and minority businesses represented a small proportion of contracts awarded. Advancing understanding of the businesses conducting labor-intensive forestry work lays the foundation for inquiry into the working conditions forest workers experience as well as disparities in contract capture. Some regions may have benefitted more from contract capture than others. Understanding factors enabling places and businesses to capture these contract dollars may help identify others that may benefit from investment.