Chapter 1Nathan SchanbacherTroy High School

INTRODUCTION TO FORESTRY

Essential QuestionsWhat are the important forest products that contribute to the

comfort and health of people and to the economies of nations?What types of plants compose the vegetative strata found in a

forest environment?What are the major life forms that contribute to the biological

value of a forest?Why is a forested watershed superior to a watershed without

forest plant cover?How do forest environments contribute to stable populations of

wild animals?What is the difference between a renewable and non-renewable

natural resource?What are the major uses of forest resources in the U.S.?In what ways are forest products used as sources of energy?What is the multiple-use concept of public land management?

Forestry• The science of planting and managing forests for specific purposes, such as timber production, conservation, and so on.

Importance of ForestsLand Area• 30% of the land area in the World is forest land!• United States= 33% Forest Land (747,000,000 Acres)• Eastern forests cover about 384 million acres and are

predominantly broadleaf (74%). About 83% of this land is privately owned.• By contrast, about 363 million acres of western forests are

predominantly coniferous (78%) and in public ownership (57%).• In pairs discuss why this comparison is important…Go

• Pennsylvania’s forest-land base is stable, covering 16.6 million acres or 58 percent of land area. More than 660,000 acres of forest land were lost from 1989 to 2004, mostly to residential or industrial development. However, there was a 617,500-acre gain in forest land, mostly from agricultural land. Fifty-four percent of forest land is owned by families and individuals. Source

Importance of Forests•Wood Products

• Solvents• Medicines• Fuel

• Restoration of Oxygen through photosynthesis

•Water and Air Filters

• Temperature Control for air, soil, and water

Biological Value of Forests• Forest: an area where trees are the dominant living organism

• Monoculture: single tree species

Biological Value of Forests• Biodiversity: More than one type of tree

Biological Value of Forests• Many types of plants other than trees!

• Strata: Layers of Vegetation (Figure 1-6)• Canopy (ceiling): Tall broadleaf• Understory: Smaller trees• Shrub Layer: small woody plants called shrubs (surprising)• Herb Layer: Ferns, Grasses, and Flowering Plants• Forest Floor: layer of litter or decaying plant materials that act

as mulch to preserve soil moisture.

• Different organisms live in each of these strata. This diversity adds to the BIOLOGICAL VALUE of forests

Effect on Climate• Cooler in Summer (Shade)

•Warmer in Winter (Less Wind)

• Less moisture loss from soil

• Increase in humidity due to TRANSPIRATION

Forested Watersheds•What is a watershed?

• Forests tend to:• slow the melt of snow

• Reduce the depth that soil freezes

• Roots hold the soil together to prevent erosion

Forest Watersheds• Cools the Water (why is this important)

• Provide habitat and hiding places for fish

• Provide a source of food for fish (insects around plants)

• Provide habitat for other animals that need protection and distance from humans

Commercial Value of Forests• Renewable Resource:

• Non-Renewable Resource:

• Many North American forests have been harvested at least twice since European settlers arrived…some many times.

• Good Management practices should extend forest production well into the future.

Uses of Timber (Figure 1-20)• 48.9%: Lumber

• 27.0%: Pulpwood

• 13.5%: Fuel

• 7.7%: Plywood and Veneers

Laws and situations that influence the demand for wood products.• 1973 Expansion of the Endangered Species Act• Restricted Access to old growth forests

• 1992 North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)• Open borders to Canadian timber (Do not have as strict environmental

laws)

• Price fluctuations for other heating fuels• Increase $ other fuels = Increase use of wood

• Non-wood construction materials

• Increased recycling of paper and cardboard (52% in 2005)

• 2008 Reduction in new homes due to recession

Overall Economic Impact• About 2% of GDP ($300,000,000,000.00)

Energy Source• Regular Firewood

• Coke:

• Pellets:

• Very little pollution except particulate matter which is greatest when wet wood is used.

• Biomass: Short-rotation woody crops (SRWC) or Short-rotation intensive culture (SRIC)

What firewood is the best

Domestic and Wildlife Range• Multiple-Use: Concept of forest management that provides access to forests for many different uses.• Recreation• Grazing• Mining• Logging• Natural Gas• Wildlife Habitat

• The multiple-use concept depends on the prudent and responsible use of shared resources by all users!

Riparian Zone• Land adjacent to the bank of a waterway.

Destruction of the Riparian Zone• Grazing (Western Land)

• Logging too close

• Stream Crossings

• This leads to erosion, which leads to silt

• The amount of silt in the water is known as the silt load.• Fish kills• Hatching Problems• Aquatic Insects die off

Recreation and Wildlife• List as many of these uses as you can….

History of the Forestry Industry•What was the earliest form of Forest control in North America?

• How has the forest industry changed since then?

Laquin Railroad

Laquin Hotel

Susquehanna River Log Boom

Bowens Tannery Troy 1898

PA Forestry History• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p4ohbPMvaxE

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EWMejNKeqs0