Download Facts About America Forest - Forestry Natural Resources and Wildlife - Lecture Slides and more Slides Wildlife Ecology in PDF only on Docsity! Forestry Science Facts About America’s Forest Docsity.com Our Forests • About one-third of the United States -- 731 million acres -- is forested. • Net annual growth exceeds harvests and losses to insects, fire and disease by 27% each year on the commercial forests. Docsity.com Our Forests • The forest industry plants more than 43% of those seedlings; 40% are planted by non-industrial private landowners; and 16% by government. Docsity.com Wood’s Advantage • Trees are a renewable resource. Forest products are also recyclable and biodegradable. • Most alternative materials come from non-renewable resources -- petrochemicals used in plastics and ones used for aluminum, iron, etc. Docsity.com Wood’s Advantage • The average single-family home (2,000 square feet) can contain 15,824 board feet of lumber and up to 10,893 square feet of panel products. • Comparing the total energy costs to acquire the raw material, transport, process and use it -- wood far outshines its competitors. Docsity.com Paper and Recycling • In 1993, more paper was recovered for recycling than was sent to landfills. • The U.S. paper industry has established a new goal to recover -- for recycling and reuse -- by the year 2000 one half of all the paper Americans use. An earlier 40 goal by 1995 was achieved two years ahead of schedule. Docsity.com Paper and Recycling • Every ton of paper recovered saves 3.3 cubic yards of landfill space. Docsity.com Wildlife • Over the past decade, forest products companies have spent more than $100 million on wildlife and environmental research. • As a result of careful forest management, the white-tail deer population has grown from 4.5 million to over 16 million in the past 30 years; wild turkeys have gone from near extinction to more than 4 million today. Docsity.com Stewardship • America's forest products companies have also donated more than one million acres of land -- valued at over $400 million --- for conservation, recreation, or social causes. • The Nature Conservancy alone has received some 760 square miles of forested mountains, bogs, riverbanks and old growth stands in 28 states. Docsity.com Industry • The industry employs over 1.4 million people and produces wood and paper products valued at more than $200 billion each year. • The industry ranges from state- of-the-art paper mills to small family- owned sawmills, small family logging operations, and some 7 million individual woodlot owners. Docsity.com
