The Greater Renovo Area Heritage Park Pre-Parade Party to host Pennsylvania WoodMobile

RENOVO – Take an educational walk in Penn’s Woods and learn about Pennsylvania’s nation-leading hardwoods industry through the new Pennsylvania WoodMobile, one of the exhibits at the The Greater Renovo Area Heritage Park Pre-Parade Party at 530 Erie Avenue in Renovo on Saturday, October 12 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

An outreach tool of the Pennsylvania Hardwoods Development Council, the WoodMobile is a cooperative effort between 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, Executive Director of the Hardwoods Development 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. Pennsylvania’s timber industry accounts for more than $21.8 billion in direct economic impact annually and provides more than 60,000 jobs, the state has more forested acres today than it did 100 years ago due to the sustainability efforts of the industry.

Within the 34-foot long WoodMobile are numerous panels showing the history and industry surrounding Pennsylvania’s forests. Interactive exhibits on leaf and wood identification and touch screens providing information about threats to the forest from invasive insects and plants capture viewer’s attention, keeping them engaged in learning about Penn’s Woods. In the front of the WoodMobile, videos show the transformation of a log from the forest to the furniture in your home.

Visitors to the WoodMobile can test their hardwood knowledge in a game by guessing which of 60+ items do not contain wood. Choices include toothpaste, imitation vanilla, toilet paper, ice cream, aspirin, diet foods, film, and shoe polish. All these items contain wood or wood by products.

Operated by the Pennsylvania Hardwoods Development Council in the Department of Agriculture and sponsored by the Pennsylvania Forest Products Association, the WoodMobile travels about 150 days per year from April to November, delivering free, educational programs to elementary and middle school students and members of the public. Since the unveiling, the WoodMobile has exhibited at more than 1,270 events hosting more than two million visitors, including more than 232,000 students who participated in school programs.

For more information on the WoodMobile, including a schedule and request form, visit www.agriculture.state.pa.us and search “WoodMobile.”