Written by Sandford Smith, Teaching
Professor of Forest Resources and Extension Specialist, Pen State University and Dave Jackson, Forestry Educator, Penn State Extension
BELLEFONTE,
PA – This article will try to dispel some of the more common myths and
misperceptions about forests and forestry in Pennsylvania. Let us begin by defining
what a “forest” is. A forest is an area of land characterized by extensive tree
cover and other associated resources such as meadows, streams, and wildlife. We
often use other names to describe forested land including woods, woodland, and woodlot.
In
fact, Pennsylvania means “Penn’s Woods” after Quaker William Penn and
“Sylvania” meaning woodland.
Next, let us
define “forestry.” Forestry is a profession that applies a science to the
practice of creating, managing, using, and conserving forests for human benefit
in a sustainable manner to meet our desired goals, needs, and values. Foresters
are professionals that engage the science and practice of forestry. It requires
a formal education to be a “professional” forester. Foresters use forestry to
manage forests!
With those
essential definitions in mind let us dispel some of the more common myths and
misperceptions about Penn’s Woods.
Most
of the forest land in Pennsylvania is owned by the government.
Pennsylvania's dominant land use is forest, covering nearly 16.5 million acres,
or 59%, of the state. Private non-industrial landowners own 70% of the
forestland in the state, the government only 22%. Nearly 12 million acres are
held by private owners, estimated to be over 740,000 if we include those with 1
acre or more of woodland.
Our
trees are used to make lumber for building homes. As is often the case,
there’s usually some truth in everything people misunderstand. It’s true that
Pennsylvania’s hardwood lumber is sought after for “making homes,” but it’s not
used in constructing the building itself, as many believe. Rather, it is used
for the moldings, flooring, cabinets, and fine furniture people put in their
homes. Softwood lumber (pine and spruce) is what gets used to construct the
building, and this is often from the southern and western states or Canada.
Timber
harvesting destroys forests. This is not an uncommon statement. Even
the best managed timber harvest can look quite dramatic right after the trees
have been cut. The good news is that forests are “renewable” – that means they
can grow back in a person’s lifetime. If proper safeguards are taken before,
during and after the harvest (such as assuring there is deer protection for the
seedlings or that invasive plants are not competing for light and space) a new
forest of seedlings will quickly begin growing on the site. Virtually all the
forests you see growing in Pennsylvania today are the result of “natural”
regeneration – the growth of a new forest from seedlings and sprouts. No
planting was involved. Pennsylvania’s hardwood trees grow back naturally.
Cutting
timber destroys wildlife homes and places where they get food. While
some animal habitats are affected through timber harvesting and some will have
to shift their location to meet their needs. New wildlife species will move in
to the newly created “early successional habitat” or “young forest” that has
been created. Many wildlife species use or need young forests. More than 60
kinds of wildlife, including mammals, birds, reptiles, and insects, need young
forests to survive. Early successional habitat is needed and lacking across
much of Pennsylvania. Over the last 50 years wildlife species that depend on
young forest habitats have steadily declined in numbers.
Select
cutting is the “best” way to harvest our forests. Though this sounds
like a gentler approach to harvesting, select cuts often result in what is known
as “high grading,” removing only the largest, fastest growing, and highest
value trees. High grading can have long-term detrimental impacts by removing
important seed sources, shifting species composition, reducing quality,
removing desirable species, and reducing future income potential. All timber
harvesting must be done in a sustainable fashion. That is, in a way that meets the
needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to
meet their own needs. Unfortunately, select cutting seldom meets this criteria.
All
clearcutting is bad and should never be practiced. Clearcutting is
often viewed as total forest clearing and something that is permanent. However,
in Pennsylvania clearcutting is a management practice used to regenerate, or regrow,
a new forest of sun loving trees including aspen, black cherry, yellow poplar,
and most pines. Most older forests you see in Pennsylvania today are the result
of clearcutting in the past. In some places clearcutting is used to clear lands
and convert them into other uses such as agriculture or urban developments.
Clearcutting in these instances is not a forest management practice; it is more
appropriately called “deforestation.”
A
Hands-off approach to forest management is best. Let “mother nature” take its
course. Unfortunately, “Mother Nature” does not exist and the natural
ecology of our forests has been so greatly altered by human activity and other disturbances
that an active approach is often much better.
Most of our forests have been cut-over several times, burned, impacted
by deer over-browsing, overrun by invasive plants, and infested by non-native
insects and diseases. Leaving them alone will often make these problems only
get worse. There are many wise management practices that can help bring a
forest into a healthy, more natural, and productive state. Forest conservation
needs effective “hands-on” management.
I hope this article has been useful to clear up
some common myths and misperceptions about Pennsylvania’s forests and forestry.
For additional information about forestry visit the Penn State Extension web
site at: https://extension.psu.edu/forests-and-wildlife/forest-management
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