The Forests of Pennsylvania

With forestland covering more than half of Pennsylvania’s landscape, no matter where you live, you’re not far from a beautiful forest. Western Pennsylvania’s forests provide rich natural resources of black cherry, red and white oaks, sugar maple, black walnut, and species of hickory.

Penn's Woods By the early 1900s, Pennsylvania’s forests had been almost completely cleared to provide land for agriculture and wood products to support the growth and development of the country. Fortunately, since that time, many of our forests have recovered and regenerated to one of Pennsylvania’s most beautiful and bountiful resources covering more than half of the state - about 17 million acres.

But a forest is more than its trees. It is an interrelated community of living (animals, plants, fungi and micro-organisms) and non-living (water, air, soil, rocks, etc.) components, interacting with each other in a delicate balance to form an ecosystem that provides many benefits.

Ecological Benefits

Water Quality - Forests act as sponges by capturing rainfall, reducing runoff, maintaining the flow of streams, filtering nutrients and sediment, and stabilizing soils. Mature trees also provide deep root systems that hold soils in place, helping to stabilize streambanks and reduce erosion.

Air Quality - Forests convert carbon dioxide into oxygen and lock up or “sequester” the excess carbon, which if released into the atmosphere contributes to greenhouse gas. By absorbing or trapping greenhouse gases and other pollutants, forests help to regulate climate.
Plant and Wildlife Habitat - Healthy forests provide food, shelter, nesting sites and safe migration paths for a variety of terrestrial and aquatic species as well as irreplaceable habitats for plants. Pennsylvania forests are home to an estimated 10,000 species of plants, animals, fungi and other life forms, including two-thirds of the state’s native plants. They contain at least 90 species of trees, 120 species of nesting birds, 50 species of mammals and many species of fishes.

Economic Benefits

Raw Materials - Forests are renewable resources that produce wood for paper and building materials, as well as raw materials for many products, including fabrics, medicine, herbs, adhesives, cosmetics, solvents and food.

Revenue - Pennsylvania is recognized as the nation’s largest hardwood producer. Our state’s wood products industries contribute more than $5.5 billion annually to Pennsylvania’s economy.

Employment - The forest products industry provides more than 100,000 jobs for Pennsylvanians. Tourism - Outdoor tourism and recreation in Pennsylvania annually generate billions of dollars in economic activity.

Recreation and Scenic Benefits Recreation - Fishing, hiking, camping, bird-watching and cross-country skiing are just of few of the recreation opportunities enjoyed by millions of Pennsylvanians annually.
Scenic and Aesthetic - Forests offer places to reflect and experience natural beauty and solitude.

Threats to Pennsylvania Forests

Our forests face several threats and are disappearing or being degraded at increasing rates. Threats include:

• Over-browsing by deer, which threatens forest regeneration and the wildflowers, shrubs and wildlife that depend on the forest understory for their habitat.Damage by diseases, exotic pests and air pollution, such as acid rainPermanent loss and fragmentation of forestland due to development
• Shortsighted, non-sustainable forest management practices that limit forest health and growth

Forest Management

Our stewardship of Pennsylvania’s vast forest resources requires sound ecological and economic management to ensure their health and productivity. Comprehensive forest management plans for both public and privately owned land need to be based on a forest’s natural processes. Implementation of sound forest management plans will ensure ecological, economic and recreation benefits for present and future generations.

Forest Ownership

71% Private Ownership
12% Pa. DCNR
  9% Pa. Game Commission
  3% U.S. Dept. of Agriculture
  5% County municipal ownership

 

 

Go to next article, The Forests of the Laurel Highlands