When Europeans first explored the eastern shores of North America, trees covered more than 90% of Pennsylvania's 29 million acres. Its moderate climate, abundant rainfall and rich soils gave rise to dense forests with plants and animals unknown in Europe. The state provided lumber that built houses, heat those homes, were used for growing railroads and burned in charcoal furnaces that fueled the iron industry.

By 1900, Pennsylvania had lost more than 60% of its forests.

But efforts to restore the forests worked.

Today, Pennsylvania’s hardwoods is a $28 billion a year industry. The state is number one in the country for hardwoods.

On The Spark Monday, Jonathan Geyer, Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture’s Hardwoods Development Council, discussed how the forest is sustained.

When Europeans first explored the eastern shores of North America, trees covered more than 90% of Pennsylvania's 29 million acres. Its moderate climate, abundant rainfall and rich soils gave rise to dense forests with plants and animals unknown in Europe. The state provided lumber that built houses, heat those homes, were used for growing railroads and burned in charcoal furnaces that fueled the iron industry.
By 1900, Pennsylvania had lost more than 60% of its forests.
But efforts to restore the forests worked.
Today, Pennsylvania’s hardwoods is a $28 billion a year industry. The state is number one in the country for hardwoods.
On The Spark Monday, Jonathan Geyer, Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture’s Hardwoods Development Council, discussed how the forest is sustained.

When people come together and talk about really interesting topics, great questions spark better understanding and opportunities for new ideas to form. On The Spark from WITF, hosts Scott LaMar and Aniya Faulcon start the conversations about what’s happening in the world and at home. Share your ideas at https://witf.org/programs/the-spark.

When people come together and talk about really interesting topics, great questions spark better understanding and opportunities for new ideas to form. On The Spark from <a href="https://www.witf.org">WITF</a>, hosts Scott LaMar and Aniya Faulcon start the conversations about what’s happening in the world and at home. Share your ideas at <a href="https://witf.org/programs/the-spark">https://witf.org/programs/the-spark</a>.

The Spark

When people come together and talk about really interesting topics, great questions spark better understanding and opportunities for new ideas to form. On The Spark from WITF, hosts Scott LaMar and Aniya Faulcon start the conversations about what’s happening in the world and at home. Share your ideas at <a href="https://witf.org/programs/the-spark">https://witf.org/programs/the-spark</a>.

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