A swoon in U.S. home construction reduced Western lumber production in 2006, the first decline in five years, according to final production figures prepared by Western Wood Products Association.

With housing starts decreasing by nearly 13 percent during the year, Western lumber production slipped to 17.98 billion board feet, down 7 percent from the previous year. The estimated wholesale value of the lumber was $6.8 billion, compared to $7.7 billion in 2005.

WWPA compiled the final industry totals for 2006 following its annual survey of more than 210 mills operating in the continental West and Alaska.

Oregon remained the largest lumber producing state in the country and fared better than other Western states. Sawmills in Oregon produced 7.03 billion board feet of lumber valued at $2.5 billion. The volume was down 5.4 percent from the previous year.

After reaching a 76-year high in 2005, lumber production in Washington declined 10.5 percent to 5.13 billion board feet – the steepest drop for all Western states. The estimated wholesale value of the state’s production was $1.88 billion.

Mills in California produced 2.59 billion board feet valued at $1.19 billion in 2006, a 3.6 percent decrease from the year earlier.

Together, the three states comprised 82 percent of the region’s lumber production.

In other Western states, Idaho lumber production totaled 1.85 billion board feet, down 8.8 percent, and Montana finished 8.4 percent lower at 917 million board feet.

Production for South Dakota and Wyoming in 2006 was 299 million board feet and mills in the Four Corner states of Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico and Utah produced 168 million board feet. Volumes in these states were combined to maintain the confidentiality of individual mill data.

Overall U.S. lumber consumption totaled 60.47 billion board feet, down from the record 64.34 billion board feet set in 2005. Housing starts dropped to 1.8 million for the year, reducing the volume of lumber used in new residential construction by nearly 16 percent. New home construction and repair/remodeling account for 73 percent of the lumber used annually.

Home building in the Sunbelt slowed more modestly than the rest of the country, helping mills in the South maintain production volumes. Southern sawmills produced 18.7 billion board feet in 2006, down just 1.5 percent. It was the first year in modern history that Southern mills produced more lumber than their counterparts in the West.

Lumber imports declined 7.6 percent to 22.8 billion board feet. Shipments from Canada, the largest supplier to the U.S. market, were down 6.3 percent to 20.1 billion board feet.

Western Wood Products Association represents lumber manufacturers in the 12 Western states and Alaska. Based in Portland, WWPA compiles lumber industry statistics and provides business information services to mills. The Association also delivers quality standards, technical and product support services to the industry.