covered with large trees, smaller plants,
andwildflowers.
Many forest lands have been set aside for
the people of Pennsylvania. We have one
national forest, 20 state forests, 117 state
parks and three environmental education
centers. You will find hardwoods such as
oak, hickory, and beech in our forests. We
also have softwoods such as pine and
hemlocks in our forests. No matter where
you are in Pennsylvania, you are within 25
miles of a state park.
Many animals make their homes in the
forests of Pennsylvania. The white-tailed
deer isourmost common forest animal. It is
also our state animal. Black bears, skunks,
raccoons, foxes, turkeys, and bobcats can
alsobe found inour forests. Our state is the
location of many kinds of birds. Our state
bird, the ruffed grouse, is a forest animal.
Other animals such as rabbits and
pheasantsmake their homes in our fields.
Fishing is a popular sport in Pennsyl-
vania. We have lakes, ponds, and nearly
1,000 trout streams located here. Our state
is well known for its variety of fish,
including trout, bass, and crappies. Our
state also has more than 50 different kinds
of snakes. Only three of them are
poisonous. They are the timber rattlesnake,
the copperhead, and theMassasauga rattle-
snake. One type of poisonous snake is
located in every county of Pennsylvania.
Chapter 1
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11
Many animals, including bobcats, can be
found in Pennsylvania’s forests.
ReviewQuestions
1.Write five different geographic terms to give a description of Pennsylvania.
2. How does our population density comparewith that ofMontana andNew Jersey?
3. Describewhat Pennsylvania’s climate is like.
4. Name three different landforms andwaterforms in our state.
5. Howmuch of our state is coveredwith forests?
6. Name three different kinds of trees that can be found in our state.
7. Name three different kinds of animals that can be found in our state.
CRITICAL
THINKING
QUESTIONS
In a
desert
region, a place gets less than 10 inches of rainfall a
year.What would Pennsylvania look like if our state received
only five inches of rainfall each year?
