Exploring North Carolina's Forests

What is the distinguishing feature of a forest?

• Rivers

• Trees

• Soil

• Wildlife

How did Native Americans use fire in forest management?

• To burn down enemy villages

• To clear land for settlements and promote certain plant growth

• To create natural barriers against predators

• To prevent forest fires

Which group was the first to utilize North American forests?

• Spanish explorers

• Vikings (Norsemen)

• French settlers

• British colonists

What was the primary reason early settlers cleared forests?

• To increase biodiversity

• To make room for farmland and settlements

• To preserve old-growth trees

• To create national parks

What was North Carolina’s major forest product for over 200 years?

• Charcoal

• Naval stores

• Oak barrels

• Palm oil

What are naval stores?

• Ships used for trade

• Timber used in ship construction

• Pine products like tar, pitch, and turpentine

• Military storage warehouses

Why did early settlers view forests as a problem?

• They were too beautiful to cut down

• They harbored diseases

• They made defense and farming difficult

• They were sacred to European settlers

By 1909, how many board feet of lumber were being produced annually?

• 10 billion

• 25 billion

• 46 billion

• 100 billion

What impact did poor soil conservation have on forests?

• It increased biodiversity

• It improved soil quality

• It led to soil erosion and abandoned land

• It helped forests regrow faster

Today, what percentage of North Carolina’s forest land is privately owned?

• 50%

• 83%

• 25%

• 10%