Northern Ireland has only one-sixth of the European Union's average forest cover.
Trees cover around six per cent of the total land area in the province.
The stark statistic emerged as a wide-ranging consultation process on the future of Northern Ireland's forests was launched by agriculture minister Mrs Bríd Rodgers.
Mrs Rodgers said the exercise was essential to safeguard forests, which play a huge role in the leisure, industrial and environmental sectors.
"Clearly there is a need to look at where we are and where we need to go," she said.
Mrs Rodgers said the amount of forest cover in the North could be increased considerably.
"The consultation paper ... describes the options and makes recommendations on many aspects of forest policy," she said.
"When you read the paper I hope you will see how forestry can contribute to the Regional Development Strategy, to sustain development, to conserving and enhancing bio-diversity and promoting social inclusion.
"Each year in this country we use five times as much wood as is produced from our own forests," she added.
The consultation period ends on September 23rd.
PA