• Mehmood, Sayeed
  The Graduate School University of Maine
  

Forest resources play a crucial role in Maine's economy. Maine is the most heavily forested state in the U.S. It is also one of the two top paper producing states. Industries in an economic system are linked through inter-industry transactions. A "shock" in any of the industries thus affects the whole economic system. Due to its importance in the Maine economy, changes in the forestry sector results in effects felt throughout the system. One of the few unique natures of forestry investment is that the returns come well into the future. This makes forest policy analysis an extremely complex issue. Simulation programs provide an efficient means of analyzing the impacts of policy decisions.