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Department of Natural Resources
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Illinois
T
R E E S
Forest
Facts
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fruit
a mature ovary of a flower that protects dormant seeds and aids in their dispersal
nut
a hard-shelled, solid-textured, one-seeded fruit, such as an acorn, that does not split open at maturity, or a seed borne within a fruit having a hard shell, such as a walnut
seed
a plant embryo and its food supply stored together within
a protective coat
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- The white oak, Quercus alba, is the state tree of Illinois. Occurring throughout the state, the white oak is an excellent shade tree. Its wood is used for lumber, veneer, barrels, flooring, furniture, and construction.
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Known for its strength, white oak wood was used in the construction of the U.S.S. Constitution. During a naval battle in the War of 1812, soldiers reported that cannon balls bounced off the hull of this ship, resulting in its nickname "Old Ironsides."
- Ninety-eight percent of Illinois forests are composed of hardwood species, and 43 percent of the hardwood trees are white and red (Quercus rubra) oak.
- More than 250 species of trees (native and introduced) have been recorded in Illinois.
Illinois forests provide habitat for more than 420 vertebrate species.
- About 120 bird species use Illinois forests for their primary nest sites.
- In 1820, forests covered 13.8 million acres in Illinois (38 percent of the state). The United States Forest Service (USFS) 1998 inventory estimated 4.9 million acres of forests (14 percent of the state) in Illinois. The USFS estimated that between 1962 and 1998 forest cover in Illinois increased by more than 10 percent.
- Arbor Day
is a nationally celebrated observance that encourages tree planting
and tree care. Founded by J. Sterling Morton in Nebraska in
1872, National Arbor Day is celebrated each year on the last
Friday in April. http://www.arborday.org/
Correlation
to Illinois Learning Standards
Information provided on this poster may be useful to educators
when teaching about plants, trees, seeds, leaves, adaptations,
Illinois species, and other topics. Illinois Learning Standards
and Benchmarks: Science 12.A.1a, 12.A.1b, 12.A.2a, 12.B.1a, 12.B.2b;
Social Science 17.A.2a.
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