Long before Pennsylvania’s mountains were known for green valleys, woodland trails and scenic overlooks, parts of the state had been stripped almost bare. By the late nineteenth century, decades of intensive logging had transformed once-thick forests into landscapes marked by exposed soil, abandoned stumps and piles of dry timber waste. The heavily logged areas became known as the ‘Pennsylvania Desert’, a term used to describe the barren landscapes left behind after extensive timber harvesting and repeated wildfires.
Get breaking news anytime, anywhere. Download the TOI app now!
