PA Forests and Old Growth Forests

Before class, get started on…

Take out your Field Study Lab and turn it in up front.

Take out your notes and answer the following questions… What is an old growth forest? Where is the area of the largest old growth forest

in the country?

Old Growth Forest

• Old-Growth Forests (virgin forest): forests that have never been disturbed (logged or burned)

California Redwoods

PA Forest History

29 million acres of virgin forest in the time of the colonists

200 years ago logging was done to clear the land for crops

A high demand for wood made PA the leading lumber producer in the nation in the 1860’s

PA Forest History Con’t

Many of the hemlock trees (state tree) were cut down for the tannic acid in their bark and the wood was wasted

By the 1900’s almost all the virgin forests were removed

Today Pa manages 2 million acres of forest and only a few patches of virgin forest

Old Growth Forest in the Pacific Northwest

Largest area of old-growth forest in the country.

The area is high in biodiversity.

Old Growth Forests can be sold

Law requires that national forests and other federal lands to be managed for multiple use: Logging Mining Grazing Recreation Fish and Wildlife Habitat Watershed Protection

Protected forests

Only National Parks or Wilderness Areas are protected from logging

Conflict Between Logging and Environmental Protection…