What do we get from trees?

Benefits of trees in communities:
Economic Benefits Enhance economic stability by
attracting businesses and tourists Reduce cooling and heating costs Can add up to 15% to residential
property value
Social Benefits Improve mental and physical health
and well-being of people Contribute to a sense of community
pride and ownership Provide privacy and a sense of
solitude and security
Environmental Benefits Clean water, conserve water and
reduce soil erosion Clean air, reduce air pollution Create wildlife and plant diversity Modify local climate

Georgia forest facts...

Timber is the highest valued crop in Georgia.

Forestry is one of Georgias largest industries,

There are more trees in the United States today than there were

contributing $19.5 billion annually to the states economy.

70 years ago.

Georgia plants five times

With todays

more trees (an average of

technology,

613,000 trees per day) than

almost 100%

are harvested.

of a tree can be used to make wood and other forest

66% of Georgias land consists of forests.

products.

Individual private citizens

own most (72%)

Forestry employs

of Georgias forestland.

over 177,000 people

in Georgia.

GEORGIA FORESTRY COMMISSION P.O. Box 819
Macon, GA 31202-0819 1-800-GA-TREES www.gfc.state.ga.us
...part of your everyday life !
1999

What do we get from trees?

For centuries people saw trees only as lumber or firewood. In the process of making the lumber, they would discard the sawdust, bark and wood scraps.

Eventually, scientists studied the structure of trees and discovered that all parts of a tree, big or small, have an abundance of valuable chemicals.

The forest products

in-

dustry used this research

to create new products.

Trees can now be used in

thousands of common con-

sumer items that play a vital

part in improving your

health and your everyday

life.

How tree derivatives are used to make products...

Fruits & Nuts
Fruit from trees such as apples and peaches, as well as nuts from trees such as pecans, are all favorite products grown on Georgia trees.
Bandage strips
Tree gum extracted from trees makes the adhesive on bandage strips stick to your skin.
Baseball bats
The white ash tree is a hardwood that is used to make baseball bats.
Candles
Tree gum can be used to make candles.
Combs
Wood pulp and cellulose can be used to make plastics such as combs.
Cough syrup
Cough syrups and other liquid oral medicines are often thickened by cellulose products for their evenflowing consistency.
Crackers
Not only is the cracker box a product of trees, but the crackers themselves can be made using a high purity grade cellulose.

Crayons

Milk cartons

Gum extracted from trees can Milk cartons can be made

help make crayons.

from pulpwood.

Eyeglass

Nail polish

frames

Nail polish contains

Cellulose wood fibers are nitrocellulose, making the

dissolved and can then be polish glossy when it dries.

formed into molded articles Clothing

like eyeglass frames.

Cellulose is used to produce

Football

rayon and acetate which can

helmets
Ethyl cellulose is responsible for making hardimpact resistant plastics

be used to make a vast array of clothing such as ties, shirts, dresses, and suits.
Newspaper

found in football helmets. Pulpwood is used to make

Gum
Gum and synthesized essential oils from trees can

newspaper, wrapping paper, book paper, and wallpaper.
Paint

be used to make chewing Methylcellulose, a product

gum.

made from cellulose, gives

Ice cream

paints their thick consis-

Ice cream can be made with cellulose, which comes from

tency.
Parmesan cheese

trees.

Cellulose powder can be

Lipstick
Cellulose can give lipstick its easy application.
Make-up
Make-up can get its creamy texture from the tree derivative, cellulose.

used to help keep grated parmesan cheese pieces from caking together.
Pencils
Tree logs are used to make pencils.
Perfume

Maple syrup
Sap from trees is used to make syrup.

Tree bark is used to make tall oil, which cosmetic companies can use to make perfumes.

Photo film
Logs are reduced to pulp, which is processed to create cellulose acetate chemicals that can be used to make photographic film.
Shampoo
Methylcellulose can be used to thicken shampoo and conditioner without it, they would just be soapy water.
Sponges
Cellulose is broken down into chemicals that can be used to make sponges.
Tires
Tree-produced chemicals can be used for making the synthetic rubber found in tires.
Toilet tissue
Wood pulp makes paper products such as toilet tissue, paper towels, napkins, and facial tissue.
Toothpaste
Cellulose can be used in toothpaste to give it a paste-like consistency.