PA Agriculture Secretary, Forest Products Association Celebrate New Woodmobile Truck
Posted on: Tuesday, 8 April 2008, 18:00 CDT
HARRISBURG, Pa., April 8, 2008 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Pennsylvania students can continue to learn how lumber, aspirin, baseball bats and shoe polish are derived from the same raw material thanks to a new truck, said Agriculture Secretary Dennis Wolff.
The truck, donated by the Pennsylvania Forest Products Association, was unveiled today as part of an event to kick off the sixth season of the WoodMobile. The WoodMobile is a traveling classroom that helps to educate elementary and middle school students about Pennsylvania's $17 billion hardwoods industry using hands-on activities.
"Pennsylvania's hardwoods industry is a national example for environmental responsibility and sustainable forestry, and it is important that we educate the public about the good work foresters are doing to protect the environment," said Wolff. "The WoodMobile is a partnership between the Department of Agriculture and the timber industry to educate our youth about wood products and sustainable forest management. With a new truck to haul the classroom trailer throughout the state, the WoodMobile can continue to help ensure our forests will thrive for years to come."
Home-schooled students joined Wolff for a tour of the WoodMobile. The tour was guided by Pennsylvania's founding father, William Penn, who was portrayed by Hardwoods Development Council staff member Wayne Bender. Following the tour, forest products association representatives presented Wolff with keys to the new truck.
"The support from the hardwoods industry has been outstanding," said Keith Craig, executive director of the Hardwoods Development Council. "Their involvement has helped to ensure a lasting dialogue between industry and consumer about the importance of sustainable forest management."
Most of Pennsylvania's 2,600 forest products companies use best management practices, such as erosion and sediment control, to ensure forests can produce the trees needed today while regenerating forests, maintaining biodiversity and preventing soil loss for the future.
Pennsylvania is a national leader in the variety of training opportunities it makes available, with more than 3,000 loggers having completed sustainability training courses. Pennsylvania also leads the nation in the number of landowner outreach activities that help educate private landowners about the importance of sustainable forestry.
The WoodMobile travels nearly 150 days per year from April to November, delivering free, educational programs to some 11,000 elementary and middle school students and 150,000 members of the public. Since its debut, the WoodMobile has exhibited at more than 280 events hosting nearly 750,000 visitors. The WoodMobile expects to reach 1 million visitors next year.
The Pennsylvania Hardwood Development Council was formed in 1988 by the legislature to promote the commonwealth's strong hardwood industry.
For more information on the WoodMobile, including a schedule or the Pennsylvania hardwoods industry, visit http://www.agriculture.state.pa.us/, click on "Students and Educators" and follow the link to the WoodMobile under "Agricultural Education."
EDITOR'S NOTE: Members of the Pennsylvania Forest Products Association that helped sponsor the new WoodMobile truck are listed below.
-- AgChoice Farm Credit, Cumberland County -- Andrews Forest Products, Wyoming County -- Bingaman & Son Lumber, Inc., Snyder County -- Cochran & Zandi Lumber Co., Warren County -- Conestoga Wood Specialties Corp., Snyder County -- Deer Park Lumber, Inc., Wyoming County -- Lewis Lumber Products, Inc., Lycoming County -- Matson Lumber Company, Jefferson County -- Metzler Forest Products, Mifflin County -- Mountaineer Hardwoods, Inc., Wayne County -- Pendu Manufacturing Inc., Lancaster County -- Penn York Lumbermen's Club Inc., Cameron County -- Quality Custom Cabinetry Inc., Lancaster County -- RAM Forest Products, Inc., McKean County -- Red Rock Enterprises, LLC, Garrett County, Md. -- REMMEY - The Pallet Company, Montgomery County CONTACT: Nicole L. Cullison (717) 787-5085
Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture
CONTACT: Nicole L. Cullison of PA Department of Agriculture,+1-717-787-5085
Web Site: http://www.agriculture.state.pa.us/
Source: PRNewswire-USNewswire
Related Articles
- Georgia-Pacific Gypsum Dens(TM) Interior Products First in Industry to Pass 12-Week Mold Test
- Physicians Practice and Pocono Medical Center to Improve Patient Care in Monroe County, Pennsylvania
- Verizon Wireless Expands Coverage in Mifflin County, Pennsylvania
- Verizon Expands Network in Bradford County, Pennsylvania
- ConEdison Solutions to Serve Residential Customers in Pike County, Pennsylvania
- Adding the Import and Subtracting the Export, the Total U.S. Consumption Value of the Food Product Machinery Manufacturing Industry for 2006 Was $3,622,000,000
- Foundation Honors Exemplary Work in Pennsylvania's State Parks, Forests
- Pennsylvania Parks and Forests Foundation to Recognize Former Members of Civilian Conservation Corps
- Woodland Caribou Need Government to Protect Forests From Industry: Report
- York County, Pennsylvania Deploys GlobalCerts Solution As Compliance Measure Under Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)
 |
 |
User Comments (0)
RSS Feeds