Introduction to Penn's Woods

Before starting the virtual tour it is helpful to understand why Penn's Woods are important to Pennsylvania, harvesting practices, and the principles of forest demonstration sites.

• Nearly 60% (17 million acres) of Pennsylvania's 28 million acres is forested.
• Private forest landowners own 12.5 million (75 percent) of the Commonwealth's forests.
• Four million acres of public forest land is comprised of:
  • 2.1 million acres of state forest land
  • 1.4 million acres of Game Commission land
  • 500,000 acres in the Allegheny National Forest.

These forests are a vital resource to sustaining Pennsylvania's economy and environment. The timber and forest products industry is the fourth-largest manufacturing industry in the state, employing over 90,000 workers in 2,500 firms, and contributing almost 5 billion dollars annually to the state's economy. Nationally, Pennsylvania ranks number one in hardwood production. Forest-based recreation in Pennsylvania is a large component of tourism, the state's second-largest industry.

To navigate this portion of the virtual tour, use the arrows. The "up" arrow returns you to the home page.