2008 Indiana State Fair
 
 
 
 

Year of Trees

"Tree"via – Fun Facts

Did you know…?

  • Indiana’s state tree is the Tulip tree.
  • There are 50 trees indigenous to Indiana.
  • The largest tree in Indiana is a Sycamore tree (Platanus occidentalis) in Johnson County, it is 120 feet tall, has a circumference of 301.80 inches, and a crown spread of 109.50 feet. (source: Indiana Natural Resource Conservation Service - 2006) One acre of young trees supplies enough oxygen to keep 18 people alive. (source: Indiana Department of Natural Resources, Division of Forestry, Project Learning Tree – June, 2005)
  • Trees live longer than most other plants.   In fact, you can tell how old a tree is by counting its growth rings.  Each year a tree adds a new layer of wood.  (source: United States Dept. of Agriculture, USDA Forestry Services,  Project Learning Tree)
  • Many trees can live 80-120 years.  In fact, some healthy white oak trees can live up to 400 years. (source: Hardwood Forest Foundation)
  • Every seven seconds six trees are planted – that’s six trees per year per person in the United States (source: Hardwood Forest Foundation)
  • The Parke County Covered Bridge Festival held the second Friday in October is nationally known as one of the largest covered bridge festivals and was the winner of Travelocity’s “Big Secrets Local Finds” in 2005. (source: www.coveredbridges.com)
  • Studies have shown that those who eat Korean pine nuts and almonds more tend to lose weight more than those who don’t eat the nuts (source: Northern Nut Growers Association, Inc.)
  • The following items come from some parts of trees:
    • crayons – from the leaves of special palm tree
    • tape – cellophane, a by-product of wood pulping
    • glue – resin from trees
    • toothpaste – cellulose gum
    • chewing gum – from rosin or store of trees
    • sausage casings
    • artificial snow
    • football helmets
    • baby wipes
    • auto body undercoating

      (source: Hardwood Forest Foundation)
  • The Parke County Maple Syrup Fair is held in Rockville, Indiana in February/March.  Visitors can tour maple syrup camps and have to chance see how maple syrup is made. (source: www.coveredbridges.com)
  • Sap flow is totally weather dependent, and syrup makers tap their trees when daytime temperatures accompanied by bright sunshine reach 40 F during the day and drop well below freezing at night.  (source: Indiana Maple Syrup Association)
  • In 2007, more than 400 gallons of syrup was sold during the Indiana State Fair at the Sugar Shack hosted by the Indiana Maple Syrup Association (source: Garry Sink, President of the Indiana Maple Syrup Association).
  • Maple syrup makers must collect approximately 45 gallons of raw sap to make one gallon of maple syrup.  (source: Indiana Maple Syrup Association)