Forestry contributes $19 billion to the state economy each year. It provides $2.2 billion in salaries and wages to 60,000 employees, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture.

Each year for more than a decade, the forestry industry has been on display at the Pennsylvania Farm Show, bringing awareness and education about one of the state's largest industries.This year, that display got a major face lift.The WoodMobile, a trailer with exhibits highlighting and educating the public on the forestry industry, has undergone a major renovation. It is now complete with interactive, touch-screen exhibits and hands-on activities for everyone, young and old."The timber industry has been large in Pennsylvania for over 150 years," said Chuck Ray, associate professor at Penn State University and a representative of the Penn State University Extension. "It is one of the largest industries in Pennsylvania. People will say 'Do we have a timber industry in Pennsylvania?' And I'm just amazed because you can drive on Interstate 80 from western border to the eastern border and see forest the entire way."New features: Wayne Bender, hardwoods development specialist with the Hardwoods Development Council of the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, said the new WoodMobile includes touchscreen activities to help identify invasive insects, a hands-on tree species identification game and a game where guests must identify which item does not include wood or wood products.Bender said the items that contain tree products can surprise some people."The kids are a little surprised that they are eating some wood while they are walking around at the Farm Show," Bender said. "I may not be at liberty to say what those items are, but there are items that have cellulose gum as an additive and a thickener. So, it's there at the Farm Show, and they are eating it."Bender said one of the main points of education during the Farm Show is about the sustainability of the forestry industry in Pennsylvania.He said that because of new regulations going into effect in Europe, studies have been done on the environmental impact of forestry in the state. These studies have found that the forestry industry is carbon negative, meaning more carbon is removed through the process of making trees into timber than is produced."The forest products industry is the only green industry there is," Bender said. "When you use something made out of wood, there is less emissions than any other building material and at the same time you are sequestering carbon in a safe way."