When the European explorers "discovered America," one of the most important resources was eastern white pine (Pinus strobus) timber.

Today, white pine is not a dominant tree in most of our forests, but it has been making a good recovery, and now we are beginning to see some very nice-sized trees. About half of the pine lumber comes from New England and a third from the Great Lakes states; the remainder from the Middle Atlantic and Southern Atlantic states.

White pine furniture, millwork and cabinets remain popular in the U.S. markets. Although pine can be used for structural lumber (2 x 4, 2 x 6 and so on), the clearer wood is more profitable if used for secondary manufacturing. The knotty material, however, often is used in structural products. The key to profitable and wise utilization of pine timber today is to cut it efficiently into valuable lumber.