This document provides information for teachers on forests and the forest industry in the United States. It begins by outlining learning objectives for students to define forests and describe the six forest regions in the US. It then gives a brief history of the first forestry industry, which began with Leif Ericson in the 10th century. The document defines forests and explains that they cover about a third of the US land area today. It also outlines that private landowners, the government, and forest product industries are the main owners of the 250 million acres of commercial forests in the US. It concludes by describing the two main types of trees used in forestry - softwoods and hardwoods - and noting that the six forest regions vary

1. Teacher Information!
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Necessary materials:
 PowerPoint Guide

2. Our Forests and Their Products
Pgs 235-242 in Ch.19 of Managing Our Natural
Resources
Rangelands, Forests, & Fire

3. Students will be able to…
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Define forest
Describe the six forest regions in the U.S.

4. The 1st Forestry Industry in the U.S.
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Began with the 1st European to set foot
in North America  Leif Ericson
Leif and his Vikings established
logging camps in northeastern Canada
Harvested wood  shipped back to
Europe
600 years prior to the settlers of
Jamestown

5. Forests
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Occur where moisture is sufficient for tree
growth
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Arid regions like the Great Plains  too dry to
support forests
Complex community of trees and other
organisms  forest
House = tree, city = forest
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A housing development ≠ city
Clump of trees ≠ forest

6. Forest: Friend and Enemy
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Dense forests made farming & settlement
difficult
But trees supplied materials for houses, forts,
and ships
Source of wild game and fruit

7. Forests Today
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749 million acres in the U.S. forested = 1/3
of the U.S.
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2/3 of this = commercial forest
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250 million acres of commercial forest are actually
usable
1/3 (250 million acres) = noncommercial forest
Commercial  Forest that has economic
potential

8. Who owns commercial forestland?
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Private landowners  58%
Government  28%
Forest product industries  27%
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Weyerhauser, Kraft, Union-Camp
Maine & New Hampshire > 80% forested
Nebraska & North Dakota < 2% forested

9. What trees are used in forestry?
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Two general kinds 
Softwoods
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Hardwoods
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Gymnosperms = conifers
Douglas fir, blue spruce, yew
Angiosperms = flowering, broad-leafed trees
Oak, maple, beech, apple, cherry
Most timber production  softwoods

10. U.S. Forest Regions
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Different species of trees have different
requirements
Different environmental conditions  forest
regions
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Climate
Altitude
Soil type
6 forest regions in continental U.S.