NAICS 115310 Quarterly Industry Report
Support Activities for Forestry
Comprehensive industry research for valuation professionals, business owners, buyers, and lenders
NAICS Code: 115310Sector: Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting (11)Updated: Q1 2026
About This Report
This Fair Market Value industry report for NAICS 115310 provides valuation-focused intelligence for professionals assessing forestry support service businesses. Additional data is drawn from U.S. Census Bureau[6].. Data is sourced from USDA Forest Service[5] contract award records, Bureau of Labor Statistics[7] forestry employment data, and SBA size standards[8] to support business appraisals, acquisition due diligence, lending decisions, and investment analysis for forestry service enterprises.
Industry Definition & Overview
Support Activities for Forestry (NAICS 115310) encompasses establishments primarily engaged in performing particular support activities related to timber production, wood technology, forestry economics and marketing, and forest protection. Services include timber estimating and cruising, forest fire suppression, forest pest control, reforestation planting, prescribed burning, forest road construction, and forestry consulting. The U.S. Census Bureau[4] classifies forestry support services separately from timber tract operations (NAICS 113110) and logging (NAICS 113310), recognizing the specialized consulting and service functions these providers perform in the forest products supply chain.
Forestry support service providers serve timberland owners, government land management agencies, and logging operations with specialized technical expertise and equipment for forest management activities. The USDA Forest Service[5] contracts with private sector forestry service companies for reforestation, prescribed burning, timber inventory, and fire suppression on national forest lands. State forestry agencies and private timberland investment organizations similarly outsource specialized forestry work to these service providers. Federal and state wildfire suppression contracts represent a growing revenue segment as wildfire seasons have expanded in duration and geographic scope across western states.
Business valuations for forestry support operations focus on government and private sector contract portfolios, specialized equipment fleets, professional forester credentials, geographic service territory, and established relationships with timberland owners and land management agencies. Appraisers evaluate contract backlog and renewal rates, crew training and safety records, equipment condition and replacement cost, and the mix of recurring management service revenue versus project-based contract income. The USDA Forest Service[5] contract award data and state forestry service procurement records provide comparable market information for forestry support enterprise valuations.
What's Included in This Industry
- Sector-specific valuation multiples and financial benchmarks for forestry support service operations
- Revenue and profitability analysis across timber cruising, reforestation, fire suppression, pest control, and consulting segments
- SBA size standard classification and lending threshold data for NAICS 115310
- Comparable transaction data from recent forestry service company sales, contract portfolio transfers, and equipment fleet acquisitions
- Market analysis covering government forestry service contract spending, private timberland management demand, and wildfire suppression capacity needs
- Workforce and labor cost benchmarking for professional foresters, tree planting crews, fire suppression personnel, and heavy equipment operators
- Industry risk assessment including government budget fluctuations, wildfire exposure, seasonal work patterns, and crew safety requirements
- Regulatory compliance overview covering forestry professional licensing, prescribed burning permits, and federal contract compliance standards
- Capital expenditure profiles for tree planting equipment, prescribed burn gear, timber cruising technology, and forestry service vehicles
- Production metrics including acres planted per crew day, timber cruised per forester, fire suppression response capacity, and contract award rates
NAICS Classification Hierarchy
| Level | Description | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Sector | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 11 |
| Subsector | Support Activities for Agriculture and Forestry | 115 |
| Industry Group | Support Activities for Forestry | 1153 |
| NAICS Industry | Support Activities for Forestry | 11531 |
| National Industry | Support Activities for Forestry | 115310 |
Related NAICS Codes
| Code | Description | Relationship |
|---|---|---|
| 113110 | Timber Tract Operations | Timber tract operations that contract with forestry support providers for timber cruising, reforestation planting, prescribed burning, and forest management planning |
| 113310 | Logging | Logging operations that depend on forestry support services for pre-harvest timber inventory, road layout, and post-harvest reforestation on harvested timberland |
| 113210 | Forest Nurseries and Gathering of Forest Products | Forest nurseries producing reforestation seedlings purchased by forestry support service providers for tree planting contracts on harvested and restoration sites |
| 541620 | Environmental Consulting Services | Environmental consulting firms providing forest ecosystem assessment, wildlife habitat evaluation, and environmental compliance services that complement forestry operations |
| 541690 | Other Scientific and Technical Consulting Services | Other scientific and technical consulting services including forestry economics research, wood technology analysis, and forest carbon accounting advisory work |
Geographic Concentration
Top states by share of national establishments.
| # | State | % Est. | Total Est. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oregon | 13.6% | 269 |
| 2 | Washington | 7.0% | 139 |
| 3 | Georgia | 6.8% | 135 |
| 4 | California | 5.9% | 117 |
| 5 | Alabama | 5.8% | 114 |
| 6 | North Carolina | 4.6% | 90 |
| 7 | South Carolina | 4.5% | 89 |
| 8 | Mississippi | 4.1% | 81 |
| 9 | Pennsylvania | 4.0% | 79 |
| 10 | Florida | 4.0% | 78 |
% Of Establishments
0%
14%
Source: County Business Patterns, U.S. Census Bureau[2]
SBA Lending Summary
328
Total SBA Loans
$105.8M
Total Loan Volume
$323K
Average Loan Size
10 yrs
Average Loan Term
9.88%
Average Interest Rate
4,264
Jobs Supported
Source: SBA 7(a) Program Data, U.S. Small Business Administration — FY 2025[3]
Key Insight: The SBA[9] classifies Support Activities for Forestry (NAICS 115310) with a size standard of $11.5 million in average annual receipts, with a higher threshold of $25.0 million for fire suppression and fuel management services. Forestry service providers within these thresholds qualify for SBA-backed lending[10] and government contracting set-asides supporting small business participation in federal forestry programs. Eligible businesses can access SBA 7(a) loans[11] for working capital, equipment, and acquisition financing, while 504 loans[12] support major fixed-asset purchases including real estate and heavy machinery.
Top SBA Lenders
| # | Lender | Loans | Volume | Avg Loan |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wells Fargo Bank National Association | 24 | $30.2M | $1.3M |
| 2 | Live Oak Banking Company | 16 | $17.2M | $1.1M |
| 3 | Southwestern National Bank | 8 | $11.6M | $1.4M |
| 4 | KeyBank National Association | 16 | $11.6M | $722K |
| 5 | The First Bank and Trust Company | 8 | $7.7M | $958K |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about this industry.
What is the NAICS code for forestry support services?
Support Activities for Forestry is classified under NAICS code 115310, covering timber cruising, reforestation, fire suppression, and forest management services per the U.S. Census Bureau[4] industry classification system.
What is the SBA size standard for forestry support?
The SBA[9] sets the size standard for NAICS 115310 at $11.5 million in average annual receipts, with a higher $25.0 million threshold for fire suppression and fuel management service providers.
What services do forestry support companies provide?
Services include timber cruising and inventory, reforestation planting, prescribed burning, forest pest control, fire suppression, road construction, and forestry consulting per the USDA Forest Service[5] contract service categories.
How are forestry support businesses valued?
Valuations focus on contract portfolio quality and backlog, specialized equipment condition, professional staff credentials, geographic coverage, and recurring versus project-based revenue mix per USDA Forest Service[5] contract award data.
How important are government contracts to forestry services?
Federal contracts from the USDA Forest Service[5] and Bureau of Land Management represent a major revenue source, with fire suppression, reforestation, and prescribed burning contracts awarded through competitive procurement processes.
What drives demand for forestry support services?
Demand drivers include post-harvest reforestation requirements, expanding wildfire seasons increasing suppression and restoration needs, timberland investment growth, and government forestry program spending levels tracked by the USDA Forest Service[5].
What risks affect forestry support operations?
Major risks include government budget fluctuations affecting contract availability, wildfire exposure and safety hazards, seasonal and weather-driven work schedule disruptions, crew recruitment challenges, and heavy equipment capital requirements.
What qualifications do forestry service providers need?
Professional credentials include state registered forester licenses, prescribed burn manager certifications, federal wildfire suppression qualifications (Red Card), and government contracting registration through the System for Award Management[13] for federal contracts.
Sources & References
Government datasets and editorial sources used in this report.
- [1]U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages bls.gov
- [2]U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns census.gov
- [3]U.S. Small Business Administration, SBA 7(a) Loan Program Data data.sba.gov
- [4]U.S. Census Bureau census.gov
- [5]USDA Forest Service fs.usda.gov
- [6]U.S. Census Bureau census.gov
- [7]Bureau of Labor Statistics bls.gov
- [8]SBA size standards sba.gov
- [9]SBA sba.gov
- [10]SBA-backed lending sba.gov
- [11]SBA 7(a) loans sba.gov
- [12]504 loans sba.gov
- [13]System for Award Management sam.gov
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