Improving forest management through the supply chain: an assessment of wood procurement management systems in the forest products industry.

Through a national survey (USA), this study measured the development of wood procurement management systems designed to improve forest management on non-industrial private forestlands (NIPFs) and describes operations at different levels of development. Some insights into which forest products operations have the greatest capability to improve forest management throughout their supply chain are presented. Results of the study are consistent with the history of supply chain management, which has traditionally focused on the 'ends' of securing and maintaining wood fibre rather than the 'means'. The results suggests that wood procurement managers are beginning to incorporate a systems approach.