In Pennsylvania, some forests are also farms

Summary

Podcast Summary: Climate Connections

Episode Title: In Pennsylvania, some forests are also farms
Host: Dr. Anthony Leiserowitz
Guest: Robbie Colville, PA Dept. of Conservation and Natural Resources, Bureau of Forestry
Release Date: April 10, 2026
Duration: 90 seconds

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Episode Overview

This episode explores the concept of "forest farming" in Pennsylvania—growing valuable crops under the forest canopy. Dr. Anthony Leiserowitz and guest Robbie Colville discuss how cultivating food in forests not only diversifies agriculture but also provides financial incentives to conserve forests, benefiting both the economy and the climate.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

Forests as Farms

• Non-traditional crops thrive in forests:
  Robbie Colville lists a range of foods that can be cultivated in woodlands, including:
  • Log-grown shiitake mushrooms
  • Ginseng and ramps
  • Locally grown chestnuts and American persimmons (rare in stores)
  • Pawpaws, which are increasingly popular
    (00:12)

Climate and Economic Benefits

• Forests protect the environment:

  • Forests serve as crucial carbon sinks and provide local cooling benefits
    (00:28)

• Economic incentives through forest food crops:

  • Developing markets for these products gives landowners new income streams and strong financial reasons to preserve forests
    (00:28)

Supporting Forest Farming: The Role of Government

• Sustaining new markets is hard but critical:

  • Building and maintaining these markets requires investment and initiative
    (00:43)

• Government funding makes a difference:

  • Pennsylvania state grants supported a collective of over 50 nut growers, helping them purchase essential processing equipment like nut hullers, mills, and oil pressers
  • This enabled greater production of hickory nut oil—described as "an olive oil of the hardwood forests"
    (00:48)

Broader Impacts

• An emerging industry:
  • This is a practical example of how public investment can launch local industries, support businesses, foster healthy forests, and help address climate change
    (01:06)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Robbie Colville on forest crops:
  “There's log grown mushrooms, like shiitake mushrooms grown outdoors. There's ginseng and ramps, which are becoming increasingly popular. You know, locally grown chestnuts or American persimmons—which is a really lovely crop you don't often see in grocery stores. Pawpaws are getting increasingly popular.” (00:12)

• Dr. Leiserowitz summarizing the benefits:
  “That benefits the climate because forests absorb and store carbon dioxide and they provide local cooling.” (00:28)

• On government’s role in new industries:
  “A state grant helped a collective of more than 50 nut growers invest in nut hullers, mills and oil pressers to increase production of hickory nut oil, which is said by some to be an olive oil of the hardwood forests.” (00:48)

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• 00:12: Robbie Colville details forest-grown crops
• 00:28: The climate and financial benefits of forest farming
• 00:43: The challenge of creating new markets
• 00:48: Pennsylvania’s state grants and equipment for nut growers
• 01:06: Broader impacts on local businesses, forests, and climate

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Summary

This episode spotlights how Pennsylvania is leading with innovative intersections of forestry and farming. By growing specialty crops under the forest canopy, landowners can diversify income, motivate conservation, and bolster climate solutions—all with the help of strategic government investment. As Dr. Leiserowitz and Robbie Colville highlight, such models could provide a template for sustainable, climate-friendly agriculture nationwide.

Transcript

[A]

I'm Dr. Anthony Liesiewicz and this is Climate Connections. Crops do not just grow in farm fields, they can grow in forests, too.

[B]

There's log grown mushrooms, like shiitake mushrooms grown outdoors. There's ginseng and ramps, which are becoming increasingly popular. You know, locally grown chestnuts or American persimmons, which is a really lovely crop you don't often see in grocery stores. Pawpaws are getting increasingly popular.

[A]

Robbie Colville is with Pennsylvania's Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Bureau of Forestry. He says developing markets for forest food crops can provide landowners with new income streams and a financial reason to protect their forested land. That benefits the climate because forests absorb and store carbon dioxide and they provide local cooling. But building and sustaining markets for forest grown products takes work, and Covell says government funding can help create momentum. For example, in Pennsylvania, a state grant helped a collective of more than 50 nut growers invest in nut hullers, mills and oil pressers to increase production of hickory nut oil, which is said by some to be an olive oil of the hardwood forests. So it's an example of how governments can help grow these emerging industries and in the process support local businesses, healthy forests and the climate. Climate Connections is produced by the Yale center for Environmental Communication. To learn more about climate change, visit climateconnections.org.