The award-winning Pennsylvania WoodMobile has gone virtual! Free, live WoodMobile presentations are currently being offered for schools, homeschools, libraries, & more. Sessions on sustainable forestry, the forest products industry, and invasive insects can be scheduled for 20 – 60 minute durations.
If you would like more information about the program or to schedule a virtual visit, contact Derek Norman, WoodMobile Coordinator at dnorman@pa.gov. Sessions are targeted for grades 3 – 6, but the program can be adjusted for middle and high school.
As an outreach tool of the Pennsylvania Hardwoods Development Council, the WoodMobile is a cooperative effort of government and industry. The WoodMobile educates the public about Pennsylvania’s forests and sustainable forest management – securing the wood products we need today while protecting the trees of tomorrow. The mobile exhibit uses interactive activities and displays to promote the responsible use of forest resources and an understanding of the forest industry to the public.
“The WoodMobile promotes sustainable forestry and the green use of wood products,” said Jon Geyer, Hardwoods Development Specialist with the council. “Pennsylvania and the United States leads the world in sustainable forestry. When you buy locally grown and manufactured wood products, you help the safety of our environment and strengthen our economy.”
Pennsylvania is home to the largest hardwoods forest in the United States, providing more than ten percent of the nation’s hardwood lumber supply. While Pennsylvania’s timber industry has accounted for more than $19 billion in sales annually and provides thousands of jobs, the state has more forested acres today than it did 100 years ago due to the sustainability efforts of the industry.
Forests are the number one habitat in NEPA!
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“Porcupine Pat” McKinney is environmental education coordinator for the Schuylkill Conservation District and provides programming for people of all ages with an emphasis on schools, public programming and nature center development. “Porcupine Pat” hails from Marion, Ohio and has a BS with Distinction in Natural Resources – Environmental Interpretation from Ohio State. He is a recipient of the prestigious Sandy Cochran Award for Excellence in Natural Resources Education from the PA Forestry Association, the Schuylkill Pride Award, and the PAEE “Outstanding Environmental Educator Award.”
