 1. How
have forests changed since
colonial America?
 How
were forests harvested?
 Today, how
do we use/harvest forests?
 Oak
and Pine cut for shipbuilding and
housing
 Land
cleared for agriculture to grow
food. First in the Northeast, then Midwest,
then the South, lastly the Pacific
Northwest (which is predominantly
Douglas Firs)
 Originally
about 50% of the country was
forested (900 million acres)
 Now
about 33% or 1/3 of the land is
forested
 Timber
harvested furnishes us with about
4500 different types of products- Large
part of the economy
 In
the late 1800’s, concern for forest
conservation begins due to large swaths
of forested land in US being cut and wild
lands being lost
 Conservationist- Teddy Roosevelt and
Gifford Pinchot
 Preservationists-
John Muir
 Begins
1905
 Started
by Teddy Roosevelt
 Headed
up and organized by Gifford
Pinchot (also, a two time governor in PA)
 http://www.pbs.org/nationalparks/watch
-video/#645
 Read
Inquirer Article
Answer these questions:
1.Why was Roosevelt interested in
conservation?
2. By the end of Roosevelt’s term, how many
National Forests were there?
3. Roosevelt and Pinchot’s views of natural
resources differed from those of John Muir.
What are the terms associated with their
views, and how do they differ?
4. Would you consider yourself a
preservationist or a conservationist?
 Multiple
use management- Forests are
managed to provided multiple benefits to
wildlife and people.
 There
are six important benefits:
 Timber
harvest for wood products
 Today use sustainable harvesting
methods
 Trees
prevent erosion and the build up of
silt in the water- this is called a riparian
buffer.
 Raindrops
are broken by leaves, and fall
gently onto the “duff” (litter of
composting leaves and twigs) instead of
running off the surface.
 Water
soaks into channels made by roots
and animals to replenish ground water.
 Trees prevent floods when there is very
hard rain.
• Johnstown, PA flood 1889
http://www.jaha.org/FloodMuseum/history.html
 Water
evaporating from leaves keeps air
cool and moist. (Think of how it feels
when you enter a forest in the
summertime.)
 Rows
of trees (shelter belt) along a farm
field, slows down wind and prevents soil
erosion.
 Trees
remove microscopic dust particles
and some toxic pollutants from the air
and soil.
 Trees
remove CO2 (gas which causes
global warming). Trees can take in 26lbs
of CO2 and convert it to sugars and
oxygen.
 Farm
woodlots are place for cattle, sheep
and pigs to “forage.”(find food on the
forest floor) Pigs that feed on
chestnuts/apples taste better.
 Must
be careful not to allow overgrazing,
or all plant cover will be removed and
the soil will become compacted.
 Forests
are enjoyed by hikers, bikers,
campers, birdwatchers etc.
 Forest
are spiritually refreshing to many.
 National
Forest nearby include:
Alleghney Nat’l Forest, Finger Lakes Nat’l
Forest
 http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/forests/allegheny/
 http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/forests/greenmount
ain/htm/fingerlakes/f_home.htm
 Forests
provide food, shelter and water
for wildlife.
 Foresters can help by making some
sunnier clearings where weeds, shrubs,
vines, grasses can produce seeds, nuts,
berries for food (we call this mast)
 Snags (dead tall standing trees) and old
logs serve as dens, nests and nurse logs
(logs in the process of decomposing)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SpYsdZ
8gUU8
 Healthy
forests provide for cleaner,
coolers stream water for fish, like trout.
 The
more birds and bats there are the
fewer insects there are.
 In
our area, deer have become
overabundant, which has impacted our
forests. (Think Valley Forge)