Forest Snapshot May 2026

Pennsylvania's Forest Industry

Pennsylvania's forests grow some of the most valuable hardwoods in the world. According to the Hardwoods Development Council, Pennsylvania leads the nation in the production and export of hardwoods, accounting for $21.8 billion in direct impacts and $36 billion in indirect impacts to the state's economy. More than 60,000 Pennsylvanians are employed by the forest products industry, from private consulting foresters to loggers and manufacturers. Pennsylvania is also known as the Black Cherry capital of the world; approximately 30% of the nation's black cherry timber volume is grown here. Forest products in Pennsylvania are a key component of the state's agricultural industry and economy. 

The Pennsylvania Hardwoods Development Council (HDC) is responsible for the development, expansion and promotion of the hardwoods industry in Pennsylvania. The council is supported in its work by state and federal agencies, industry partners, and three regional Hardwood Utilization Groups, or HUGs. The Allegheny Hardwood Utilization Group (AHUG) covers a 14-county region in northwestern and northcentral Pennsylvania. The Keystone Wood Products Association (KWPA) works throughout the central Pennsylvania region and the Northern Tier Hardwoods Association (NTHA) covers northeastern Pennsylvania counties. For more information on the state of the forest industry in Pennsylvania, the HDC, or the HUGs, please visit the Hardwoods Development Council website or the sites linked above. 

Forest Health

Common buckthorn (Rhamnus cathartica) and glossy buckthorn (Frangula alnus) are two species of shrub/small tree which are becoming increasingly common invasives in Pennsylvania. Both were listed on the PA Noxious Weed list in 2022.

Common buckthorn has twigs that are often tipped with a small spine; distinctive yellow sapwood; glossy, dark green oval leaves with up-curved veins and toothed margins; dense clusters of yellow-green; and small black fruits in the fall. Glossy buckthorn has gray or brown bark with closely spaced, white lenticels; simple, alternate dark green leaves with a shiny upper surface and a dull, hairy or smooth lower surface; pale yellow flowers; and red to dark purple fruit. Identification can be difficult at times, with native buckthorns and cherry species that can appear similar. This video can help with accurate identification of buckthorn. 

Especially problematic in the northwest and northcentral regions of the state, both species produce prolific amounts of fruit, which is spread by birds. The deposited seeds sprout into a dense shrub layer, shading out native plants and inhibiting regeneration from overstory trees. The buckthorns themselves can thrive in a range of light levels, and leaf out earlier and lose their leaves later, helping them outcompete our native species. While large infestations can be difficult to manage effectively, individual trees can be treated with foliar or basal bark treatments of herbicides such as glyphosate and triclopyr. 

Native Species

With summer around the corner, many native plants will flower and fruit. One of note is the black elderberry (Sambucus canadensis) also known as common elderberry or Canada elderberry. This shrub is often found along moist, forest edges. In Pennsylvania, black elderberry will produce large clusters 5-9 inches wide with hundreds of tiny white individual flowers. By July, flowers will give way to purple-black berries, attractive for many bird and mammal species. Humans can eat these fruits, too, but should always cook them first to avoid gastric distress! Elderberry jams, syrups, and baked goods are excellent uses for harvested fruits.

Wildlife

May is the peak of spring phenology for reptiles and amphibians in Pennsylvania, marking the height of breeding, nesting, and foraging. Salamander and frogs that migrated in March and April are completing their egg laying; tadpoles and larvae are developing in vernal pools and streams. Snakes have come out of brumation and are in peak mating season.