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Pennsylvania Envirothon 2007
Forestry
Essential Topics & Objectives
*Correlated witht he Academic Standards and Assessment Anchors for Enviornment and Ecology.

After completing study on this issue, students will:

I. Forestry CD Section I. Knowledge of Trees
a. Identify common species without a key and specific or unusual species of trees or shrubs using a botanical key.  Pay special attention to shade tolerance and soil moisture requirements of each species studied.  Understand their timber and wildlife values.
  *4.2 Renewable and Nonrenewable Resources - 4.2.4.A - D, 4.2.7.A - D, and 4.2.10.A and B
   
b. Explain typical tree growth and life cycle. Recognize defects that effect a tree’s health, quality and resource potential.
  *4.7 Threatened, Endangered, and Extinct Species - 4.7.10.B
   
c. Explain the cause and effect relationships between environmental factors, (light, soil and moisture) and tree growth. Be able to interpret these effects in the growth rings of a sample of wood (either a “tree cookie” or core taken with an increment borer).
 

*4.6 Ecosystems and their Interactions - 4.6.7.A - C, and 10.A
   
II. Forestry CD Section II. Knowledge of Forest Ecology.
a. Explain general forest typing based on the dominant tree species. Describe major forests types found in Pennsylvania . Analyze and type a specific forest site.
 

*4.6 Ecosystems and their Interactions - 4.6.10.A

*4.7 Threatened, Endangered and Extinct Species - 4.7.7.A - C

   
b. Explain typical forest structure (canopy, understory and ground layers) and crown classes.
   
c. Explain typical forest succession from open areas to closed canopy and back again.  Analyze the successional stage of a specific forest site.
  *4.6 Ecosystems and their Interactions - 4.6.7.C and 10.C
   
d. Explain how wildlife habitat relates to the forest plant community (i.e. tree species present, age structure, snags and dead-and-down trees, availability of food, and riparian zones).
  *4.6 Ecosystems and their Interactions - 4.6.10.A
   
e. Explain what effects a specific species increase or decrease might have on the forest ecosystem.
  *4.3 Enviornmental Health - 4.3.10.C
   
f. Evaluate species diversity and its importance.  Explain biological diversity as an indicator of a healthy environment as well as analize the effects of species extinction on the health of an ecosystem.
 

*4.3 Environmental Health - 4.3.10.C

   
III. Forestry CD Section III. Knowledge of Forest Benefits and Resources
a. Be able to summarize the general history of Pennsylvania’s forests from the arrival of the first humans 10,000 years ago to the present.
 

*4.4 Ecosystems and their Interactions - 4.4.10.A

*4.8 Humans and the Environment - 4.8.10.C

   
b. Describe values and benefits of forests for recreation, wildlife and watershed quality.
   
c. Demonstrate the use of common forestry equipment (Biltmore stick, diameter tape, and clinometer), to measure tree diameter and height. Be able to calculate wood volume.
   
d. List products and uses of the following commercial species grown in Pennsylvania: Red & White oaks, Black cherry, White ash, hickories.
  *4.4 Ecosystems and their Interactions - 4.4.10.A
   
e. Describe the benefits of maintaining trees in urban and suburban communities and factors effecting their health and survival.
 

*4.3 Environmental Health - 4.3.12.A

   
IV. Forestry CD Section IV. Forest Resource Management and Protection
a. Explain the uses of these silviculture techniques in even-aged and uneven-aged forest management: thinning, clear-cutting, seed-tree method, shelterwood method, and selection method. Describe the practices of “high grading” and “diameter limit” cutting.
 

*4.2 Renewable and Nonrenewable Resources - 4.2.10.C

*4.4 Ecosystems and their Interactions - 4.4.12.A

*4.8 Ecosystems and their Interactions - 4.8.10.C

   
b. Identify and describe the life cycle and impacts of common forest pests and invasive plants.  Research integrated pest management strategies for selected pests.
  *4.5 Integrated Pest Management - 4.5.10.A and 12.A
   
c. Predict how human or natural action can produce change to which an organism cannot adapt (Gypsy Moth, Chestnut blight, invasive species, etc.).
 

*4.6 Ecosystems and their Interactions - 4.6.10.B

*4.8 Humans and the Environment - 4.8.10.C

   
d. Explain the role of fire in forest ecosystems.  Describe the basic principles of wildfire prevention and control.
  *4.6 Ecosystems and their Interactions - 4.6.12.C
   
e. Explain the potential for pollution from timber harvesting and the practices used to minimize erosion and sedimentation.
 

*4.3 Environmental Health - 4.3.10.B

*4.8 Humans and the Environment - 4.8.10.C

   
f. Summarize State and local regulations and programs pertaining to timber management PA Code Chapter 102 Erosion & Sedimentation Control regulations, waterways management regulations - PA Code Chapter 105, Pennsylvania’s Right to Practice Forestry Act and the Forest Stewardship Program.
 

*4.9 Environmental Law and Regulations - 4.9.12.A

   
  Assessment Anchors
 

S.11.A.3.1 and 2

S.11.B.1.1

S.11.B.3.1 - 3

S.11.C.2.2

S.11.D.1.2
 
Reference Materials

New for 2006 - The following reference is on the 2007 Current Issue CD
* The State of the Forest: A Snapshot of Pennsylvania's Updated Forest Inventory 2004
This is the most current data available on Pennsylvania's forest resources.

Forestry Reference Materials Compact Disk - Review the topics and objectives listed above on the Forestry Reference Materials compact disk provided by your County Conservation District. Most of these materials are from publications produced by the Pennsylvania State University or from the USDA Forest Service.

Although the CD contains a large amount of material, many topics are covered more than once in different ways. So, it is not as overwhelming as it might appear at first glance.

Forestry CD Index

I. Knowledge of Trees

II. Knowledge of Forest Ecology

III. Knowledge of Forest Benefits and Resources

IV. Forest Resource Management and Protection

Review updated information with these on-line resources.

Information on Pennsylvania native wild plants, invasive exotic plant problems and ginseng can be found at www.dcnr.state.pa.us/forestry/wildplant/index.aspx.

Study Ailanthus and Mile-a-minute weed information on the internet at www.invasivespecies.gov under “Species Profiles”.

Updated information about the Emerald Ash Borer can be found on the DCNR-Bureau of Forestry-Forest Pest Management website www.dcnr.state.pa.us/forestry/fpm_invasives.aspx and the US Forest Service web site at http://na.fs.fed.us/fhp/eab/

The Penn State College of Agricultural Sciences – School of Forest Resources provides a Sustainable Forestry Teacher Resource Center which includes lesson plans in sustainable forestry, natural resources, water, and wildlife. The lesson plans have been designed by teachers for actual use in the classroom and meet Pennsylvania's environmental and ecology education standards. Each lesson plan indicates subject matter, grade level, and regional applicability. The lesson plans can be adapted to fit your location. These resources can be found at http://sftrc.cas.psu.edu/.

Additional sources of helpful information, illustrations and background materials are available in libraries and bookstores.
Peterson Field Guide Series, Published by Houghton Mifflin Company
1. A Field Guide to Eastern Forests, by John C. Kricher and Gordon Morrison.
Good coverage of several complex topics:
Section 2. Forest Field Marks
  Stratification; Predicting a Forest's Future; The Forest Food Chain and Ecological Pyramid
Section 4 Disturbance and Pioneer Plants
  Ecological Succession: The Process of Vegetation Development Over Time
  Section 8. Autumn and Winter
  Tree Trunks and Growth Rings
2. For help with tree identification try:
A Field Guide to Trees and Shrubs, by George A. Petrides

DCNR - Bureau of Forestry Service Foresters
To request the help of a service forester in preparing for the Envirothon, please call or email the office listed for your county or contact: Edward Dix, Conservation Education Coordinator, 717-787-2853 or email edix@state.pa.us .

DCNR
Bureau of Forestry

Cooperative Forest Management Program

Service Foresters

Helping private woodland owners
sustain healthy, productive forests
 
District Counties Service Forester Phone
1 Adams, York Marc Popchak

717-637-1770

mpopchak@state.pa.us
  Cumberland, Franklin Contact the district office 717-352-2211
2 Fulton, Bedford Dave Scamardella 814-735-2593 / 717-485-3148
dscamardel@state.pa.us
3 Juniata, Perry Donald E. Kline 717-536-3191
dkline@state.pa.us
4 Greene, Washington Contact the district office 724-238-1200
Allegheny, Westmoreland Michael DiRinaldo 724-238-1200
mdirinaldo@state.pa.us
Fayette, Somerset Robert McBride

724-437-7983

robmcbride@state.pa.us
5 Centre, Huntingdon Tim Cole 814-643-2340
ticole@state.pa.us
6 Indiana Garry E. Leach 724-463-0790
gleach@state.pa.us
Southern Cambria Daniel Snyder 814-472-1862
daniesnyde@state.pa.us
Northern Cambria, Blair Chris Jones 814-472-1862
chrijones@state.pa.us
7 Mifflin, Union, Snyder John Portzline

570-922-3344

jportzline@state.pa.us
8 Beaver, Butler Michael L Nelson 724-865-0314
micnelson@state.pa.us
Clarion Leland K. Swoger 814-226-1901
lswoger@state.pa.us
Armstrong, Jefferson Gary Gilmore 814-849-7463
ggilmore@state.pa.us
Mercer, Lawrence Mark Bodamer 724-253-3634
mbodamer@state.pa.us
9 Clearfield M. Rich Johnson 814-765-0821
fd09@state.pa.us
10 Clinton Elinor Greenaway 570-923-6011
egreenaway@state.pa.us
11 Luzerne Andrew C. Duncan 570-387-4255
aduncan@state.pa.us
  Lackawanna, Wayne Jackson L. Gearhart 570-251-7241
jgearhart@state.pa.us
  Wyoming, Susquehanna James M. Kessler 570-278-4600 X 270
jkessler@state.pa.us
12 Lycoming Jason Smith 570-327-3450
jasonsmith@state.pa.us
13 Cameron, Elk Jim McGarvey 814-486-3353
jmcgarvey@state.pa.us
14 Warren John Nobles 814-723-0262
jnobles@state.pa.us
Erie Thomas D. Erdman 814-796-6787
no email
Crawford Mark E. Lewis 814-332-6875
marklewis@state.pa.us
Forest, Venango Ty Ryen 814-723-0262
tryen@state.pa.us
15 McKean, Potter Stanley R. Hess 814-274-3600
sthess@state.pa.us
16 Bradford Mary Baker 570-265-9845
mbaker@state.pa.us
  Tioga Sam Cooke 570-724-2868
sacooke@state.pa.us
17 Chester, Delaware, Philadelphia Sandra Insalaco 610-582-9660
sinsalaco@state.pa.us
  Berks, Lancaster, Lehigh Tim Dugan

610-582-9666

tidugan@state.pa.us
  Bucks, Montgomery Ralph Campbell 610-489-8326
ralcampbel@state.pa.us
18 Carbon, Schuylkill Frank Snyder 570-385-7800
frsnyder@state.pa.us
Dauphin, Lebanon Larry Newswanger 570-385-7800
lnewswange@state.pa.us
Columbia, Montour, Northumberland Robert Martynowycw 570-387-4255
rmartynowy@state.pa.us
19 Pike Contact the district office 570-895-4000
tcarr@state.pa.us
  Northampton, Monroe James D. Leary 570-895-4000
20 Sullivan Glenn L. Erb 570-387-4255
gerb@state.pa.us
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