Economic contribution of Forestry to Pennsylvania

Prepared by Mike Jacobson, Ph.D Associate Professor of Forest Resources and Andrew Filipczak, School of Forest Resources.

Contact:

309 Forest Resources Building
School of Forest Resources
University Park, PA 16802
Phone: (814) 865-3994

This report highlights the important economic and environmental role forests and the forest product industry play in Pennsylvania. Nearly sixty percent (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. 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.

Click on a counties to find out about forestry in your county. For more information contact Penn State Forestry Extension. Sources and methodology.