CALIFORNIA FOREST RESOURCES

Sources - Nearly one-third of California’s 101 million acres is forests, 45 percent owned by the federal government, 45 percent in private land, and 10 percent held by other public owners and the United States Bureau of Land Management. Conifers are the largest inhabitants of the forest. Their needles act as leaves, capturing energy from the sun through photosynthesis and converting carbon dioxide and water into sugars used for growth and reproduction. The roots absorb water and nutrients from the soil, transporting them through the trunk to the rest of the tree. The trunk protects the tree and provides support.

In spring, a tree grows wood in a ring of large, light cells. In summer, it grows more slowly, forming a ring of darker, smaller cells. Dark rings are counted to tell the age of the tree. Coastal redwood, Douglas-fir, white fir, sugar pine, ponderosa pine and incense cedar form the mainstay of California’s forest products industry. California utilizes the equivalent of one 100foot tree per person per year in forest products. In addition to natural regeneration, foresters replant an average of 30 million seedlings annually – about one for each person in the state.

Uses –California’s forests provide more than just forest products. They provide beauty, sources of recreation, and are home to many Californians and to almost 650 species of fish and wildlife. Forests protect against erosion, purify the air through photosynthesis, and recycle water. Nearly 100% of each tree is used to produce more than 5,000 products. Lumber, furniture, and paper are easily identified wood products.

Other items are less obvious. Rayon is cellulose acetate, a by-product of‘ tree fibers. Lignin, which holds tree cells together, is often used as a thickener in baby foods, pet foods and cosmetics. Baked goods sometimes contain torula yeast, derived from sugars in wood pulp. Flavorings and fragrances from tree oils are often used in foods, beverages, cosmetics and medicines. Energy is generated from the wood waste left over from logging and milling lumber. In many cases that energy is used to provide power for the sawmills.

History - Long before the arrival of Europeans, Native Americans located near forests. They burned and opened up parts of them to provide wood for daily needs, build villages, plant crops, make hunting easier and to protect against enemies. The process helped maintain forest health. Arriving in the 1600s, European settlers respected the forests which gave them building materials and plenty of game. In colonial days, towns often had a libertytree, under which important decisions were made.

A tree was stamped on America’s first coins, and trees were sewn on the flags of the first colonies. During the settlement of the West in the mid-1800s, wood was used without much thought to the future. The Gold Rush town of San Francisco was built almost entirely of redwood – even its curbs! Today, California foresters practice sustainable forestry – more trees are grown than are harvested.

Economic Value - California is the third largest producer of forest products in the nation, after Washington and Oregon. More than 110,000 people work in the lumber, wood products, paper and allied industries in California, earning an annual payroll of approximately $3.4 billion. The value of California forest products shipments was nearly $14.4 billion in 1998, much of which stayed in the state. Californians consumed more than seven billion board feet of lumber and panel products in 1999. More than 70 percent of those products were imported from other states and countries.

For additional information: California Forest Products Commission 853 Lincoln Way, Suite 208 Auburn, CA95603 (530) 823-2363 Fax: (530) 823-1850 E-Mail: cfpc@calforests.org Web Site: www.calforests.org

Source: Information compiled by the California Forest Products Commission

Download this information in PDF format with a second page which includes lesson plans on California's forests.

Learn more with the help of Google.