Tennessee State Forests Meet High Bar for Sustainable Management

Independent audit confirms Tennessee's state forests are sustainably managed to deliver environmental and economic benefits.

Published on Mar. 4, 2026

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The Tennessee Department of Agriculture Division of Forestry's (TDF) state forest system has successfully completed its latest Sustainable Forestry Initiative® (SFI) audit, passing with no corrective action requests or observations. The independent audit confirms that TDF's management approach and practices meet SFI's rigorous standards for sustainable forest management, ensuring Tennessee's state forests continue to deliver clean water, wildlife habitat, timber production and public access for generations to come.

Why it matters

Tennessee's state forests play a vital role in the state's economy, contributing to the forest industry which comprises 3.2% of the state's economy, supports 94,000 jobs and generates $29.4 billion in economic output. Sustainable management of these forests ensures they can continue to provide high-quality timber and other forest products while also protecting important environmental benefits like clean water and wildlife habitat.

The details

TDF maintains current documentation and forest management plans for each state forest, using long-term resource analysis, forest inventories and growth modeling. Activities such as prescribed burns, regenerative harvests, invasive species treatments and thinning on small-compartment tracts are selected to support the forest's long-term health, sustainability, resilience and diversity. Tennessee's 16 state forests stretch from mountain coves in East Tennessee to bottomlands along the Mississippi River and were transformed from eroded or unsustainably harvested lands into productive, healthy forests through decades of restoration and careful management.

  • The latest Sustainable Forestry Initiative® (SFI) audit of Tennessee's state forests was completed in 2026.

The players

Heather Slayton

State Forester for the Tennessee Department of Agriculture Division of Forestry.

Tennessee Department of Agriculture Division of Forestry (TDF)

The state agency responsible for managing Tennessee's 16 state forests.

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What they’re saying

“We are proud of this achievement. It reflects TDF's commitment to ensuring future generations have the same access to forests and their benefits that we enjoy today. Our team manages Tennessee's state forests using rigorous, science-based principles, and regular SFI audits hold us accountable and strengthen our stewardship.”

— Heather Slayton, State Forester (tn.gov)

The takeaway

Tennessee's sustainable management of its state forests ensures these public lands can continue to provide economic, environmental and recreational benefits for generations to come, serving as a model for responsible forestry practices.