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ThisisoneinaseriesoffactsheetscomposedbytheCaliforniaFoundationforAgricultureintheClassroom(CFAITC).Foradditionaleducationalmaterials:CFAITC,2300RiverPlazaDrive,Sacramento,CA95833-3293(916)561-5625 (800)700-AITC Fax:(916)561-5697Email:[email protected] Website:www.LearnAboutAg.org ©2011CaliforniaFoundationforAgricultureintheClassroom.Allrightsreserved.
Sources – Approximatelyone-thirdofCalifornia’s100millionacresisforests.OverhalfofCalifornia’sForestlandisunderpublicownershipbythefederalorstategovernment.Approx-imately 11 percent of California’sforestland is privately owned andmanaged for timber production.Californiaishometo52nativespe-ciesofconifertrees.Conifertreesproduce cones, have leaves thatareneedle-likeandareevergreen.Needles are like solar panels forthetree,capturingenergyfromthesun through photosynthesis andconvertingcarbondioxideandwa-terintosugarsusedforgrowthandreproduction. The roots absorbwater and nutrients from the soil,transportingthemthroughthetrunkto the rest of the tree. The trunkprotectsthetreeandprovidessup-port.Inspring,atreegrowswoodina ringof large, light cells. Insummer, it grows more slowly,forming a ring of darker, smallercells.Darkringsarecountedtotelltheageofthetree.
Coastal redwood, Douglas-fir,white fir, sugar pine, ponderosapine and incense-cedar form the mainstay of California’sforest products industry. California utilizes the equivalentofone100foottalltreeperpersonperyearinforestprod-ucts.Treesarearenewableresource.Inadditiontonaturalregeneration, foresters replant an average of 30 millionseedlingsannually—aboutoneforeachpersoninthestate.
Uses – California’s forests provide more than just forestproducts. They provide beauty, sources of recreation andarehometomanyCaliforniansandtonearly650speciesoffishandwildlife.Forestsprotectagainsterosion,purify theairthroughphotosynthesisandfilterwater.Nearly100per-centofeachtreeisusedtoproducemorethan5,000prod-ucts.Lumber,furnitureandpaperareeasilyidentifiedwoodproducts.Other itemsare lessobvious.Rayon iscelluloseacetate,aby-productoftreefibers.Lignin,whichholdstreecellstogether,isoftenusedasathickenerinbabyfoods,petfoodsandcosmetics.Bakedgoodssometimescontaintorulayeast,derivedfromsugarsinwoodpulp.Flavoringsandfra-grances fromtreeoilsareoftenused in foods,beverages,cosmeticsandmedicines.Woodis50percentcarbon.Whentreesaremadeintowoodproducts,thecarbonisstoredforthelifeoftheproduct.Woodwastefromthemillingprocess
isoftenusedtoproduceelectricity.Thisprovidesarenewablesourceofpower,whichisanenvironmentallyfriendlyalterna-tivetoburningfossilfuels.
History – Long before the ar-rivalofEuropeans,NativeAmeri-cans lived in and around for-ests. They burned and openedup parts of the forest to providewood for daily needs, build vil-lages, plant crops, make hunt-ing easier and to protect againstenemies. The process helpedmaintain forest health. Arrivingin the 1600s, European settlersrespected the forestswhichgavethembuildingmaterialsandplentyof game. In colonial days, townsoften had a liberty tree, underwhich important decisions weremade. A tree was stamped onAmerica’s first coins and treesweresewnontheflagsofthefirstcolonies.DuringthesettlementoftheWest in themid-1800s,woodwasusedwithoutmuchthoughtofthefuture.TheGoldRushtownofSanFranciscowasbuiltalmosten-tirelyofredwood—evenitscurbs.Today, California foresters prac-
tice sustainable forestry—more trees are grown than har-vested.TheamountofU.S.forestlandhasincreasedinthelast20years.
Economic Value – Californiahasmoreforestlandthananystate, exceptAlaska. Our state is among the top five pro-ducers ofwoodproducts in the nation.California’s lumber,wood products, paper and allied industries provide an an-nualpayroll ofmore than$4billion toemployeesannually.ApproximatelythreepercentofCalifornia’slumberisexportedoutsidetheU.S.
For additional information:TheForestFoundation(866)241-TREEFax:(530)823-1850Email:[email protected]:www.calforestfoundation.org
Forest ResourcesInformation compiled by the Forest Foundation
Natural Resources Fact Sheet
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ThisisoneinaseriesoffactsheetscomposedbytheCaliforniaFoundationforAgricultureintheClassroom(CFAITC).Foradditionaleducationalmaterials:CFAITC,2300RiverPlazaDrive,Sacramento,CA95833-3293(916)561-5625 (800)700-AITC Fax:(916)561-5697Email:[email protected] Website:www.LearnAboutAg.org ©2011CaliforniaFoundationforAgricultureintheClassroom.Allrightsreserved.
Lesson Ideas• Listthevarietyofproductsinyourkitchenthatcomefromtrees.• Visitalumbermillorapaperprocessingplant.• Helpplanandcookabreakfast;listtheingredientsyouusedthatcomefromtrees.
• Makeacollageofeverydayitemsmadefromtreesthatdonotlooklikewood.
• Makeatrailmixmadefromtreeproducts.Includefruits,nuts,andsweeteners.
• Makeasandtableforestscene.ShowhowNativeAmericansmadeopeningsintheforestthroughfireandharvestingtoprovidefortheirneeds.
• Contactaforestertofindoutthekindsoftoolsusedtomeasureandworkwithtrees.
• Visitacogenerationplanttofindourhowelectricalenergyisproducedfromforestby-products.
• Findtheheightofatreeatyourschoolusingaclinometerandtriangulation,amethodofgeometry.
• Countthedarkringsofawaferofwoodtodetermineitsage.
Fantastic Facts1. ApproximatelyhowmuchofCaliforniaiscoveredinforests?2. WheredoesCaliforniarankinUnitedStatesproductionof
lumber?3. HowmuchofCalifornia’slumberisexportedoutsidethe
UnitedStates?4. Nameafabricmadefromtreefibers.5. ListonereasonNativeAmericansusedcontrolledburnsinthe
forest.6. HowmanyspeciesoffishandwildlifeinhabitCalifornia’s
forests?7. Abouthowmanyforestproductscomefromtrees?8. Namethreeofthesixmaintypesofconifersusedfor
Californiawoodproducts.
1)One-third2)Rankedamongthetop5producers3)Threepercent4)Rayon5)Buildingvillages,plantingcrops,hunting,orprotectingthemselvesfromattack6)Approximately6507)5,0008)Coastalredwood,Douglas-fir,whitefir,sugarpine,ponderosapineorincensecedar
Lesson Plan: Making Recycled PaperIntroduction:ThewordpapercomesfromtheLatinword“papy-rus,”namedaftertheEgyptianreedfromwhichpaperwasfirstmade.Inthisactivity,studentswillcreaterecycledpaper—aforestproduct.
Materials:Largesquarepanaboutthreeinchesdeep,largebowl,3cupsofwater,alargesectionofnewspaper,rollingpin.
Procedure:1. Tearoneortwopagesofnewspaperintosmallpiecesofone
inchorless.
2. Putthepaperchipsintoalargebowlandaddthreecupswatertoit.Keepaddingpaper,tearingitandsqueezingit,untilthemixturelookslikethickoatmeal.
3. Withthepanturnedupsidedown,placeabout1cupofthe
blendedpulpoverthebottomofthepan.Spreaditwithyourfingersevenlyacrosstheentirearea.
4. Layseveralsheetsofnewspaperoverthepulp,thencarefullyturnthepanover.Removethepan.Yourpulp“square”isnowsittingonthenewspaper.
5. Closethenewspaperoverthepulp.Usingtherollingpin,rolloverthenewspapertoblotouttheextrawater.
6. Uncoverandletthenew“paper”drycompletely.Whenitisthoroughlydry,peelyournew“recycledpaper”awayfromthenewspaper.Itcannowbecuttoanysizeandusedtomakeavarietyofthings.
7. Havestudentsmakeagreetingcardoutoftheirrecycledpaper.Theycandrawdesignsoruseglitterandgluetowriteamessage.
#1Seedlings are often damaged or destroyed by animals, insects, drought, and plant competition. Modern forestry techniques allow 80 percent of seedlings to reach cone-bearing age.
#2
Saplings grow vigorously, cleaning the air of greenhouse gases and releasing oxygen.
#3
Light filtering through adolescent forests stimulates growth of understory plants, providing idealforaging for animals, who then becomeprey to others.
#4
In established forests, foresters
control disease and insects. They build trails and roads to provide access to
firefighters.
#5
The mature forest provides recreation, warershed for urban
and rural communities, animal habitats, and a host of wood products for our everyday lives.
Forest Resources Activity Sheet
