Here is the list of tree species used to determine forest health.

Table 5. Canopy replacement dominants and other high canopy indicator species (McWilliams et al. 2004a). Wildlife
value for all wildlife species (Carey and Gill 1980 as in Payne and Bryant 1998) and levels of browse preference by
white-tailed deer during fall and winter (Latham et al. 2005) are provided to illustrate general characteristics of
species. Blanks indicate lack of data.
Category Tree Species Wildlife Value Browse Preference
Dominants
Eastern Hemlock Fair High
Red Maple1 Good High
Sweet (Black) Birch1 Good High
Beech Good High
Ash1 Fair High
Yellow Poplar1 Fair High
Oaks1 Excellent High
White pine1 Excellent Moderate
Sugar Maple1 Good Moderate
Hickories1 Fair Low
Black cherry1 Excellent Low
Other High Canopy
Black gum1 Fair High
Other Birches1 Good Moderate/High
Other Maples (except Norway and Striped) Good Moderate/High
Cucumber tree Moderate
Willow Fair Moderate
Other Conifers Fair to Excellent Low/Moderate
Hackberry Fair Low
Aspen Good Low
Black locust Fair Low
Sweet gum Fair Low
Honeylocust Fair (is browsed)
Black walnut Fair (is browsed)
Sycamore Fair (is browsed)
Basswood1 Fair (is browsed)
Elm Fair (is browsed)
Buckeye Unknown
Butternut
Cottonwood
Balsam poplar
Kentucky coffeetree
Catalpa
1
– These species are of “medium” or “high” importance to Pennsylvania’s wood products industry (Latham et al. 2005).