Pennsylvania has over 17 million acres of forestland.  Forests cover more than 60% of the state

Pennsylvania's forests are primarily hardwoods and include species usch as black cherry, northern red oak, white oak, sugar maple, red maple, walnut, poplar and ash.

Pennsylvania has more forestland now than 100 years ago.

Pennsylvania's forests provide multiple benefits to the citizens of the Commonwealth. 

These include:

• Improving air quality  
• Helping improve water quality  
• Providing habitat for a variety of plant and animal species  
• Providing recreation and scenic opportunities  
• Supporting a dynamic forest products industry that supports many rural communities and is an economic driving force in the Commonwealth

Pennsylvania is a leader in promoting forest sustainability.  In 2000 Pennsylvania was recognized as the top state in promoting the Sustainable Forestry Initiative by the American Forest and Paper Association. 

There are 67 program partners in the Sustainable Forestry Initiative program in Pennsylvania.  Directories of these companies are available free of charge from the Hardwoods Development Council.  Over 5,000 individuals have received SFI training.  Also, over 18,000 landowner packets have been distributed to Pennsylvanians.

Pennsylvania also has over 2.3 million acres of forest certified under the international criteria of the Forest Stewardship Council. This is the largest holding of FSC-certified hardwood forest in the United States.