How come people complain about paper, and lumbar companies cutting down trees?

Question

Don't people realize that the paper and lumber companies harvest millions of trees every year just like how the farmers harvest corn and wheat? They actually replenish more to their tree farms than they take.

Answer 1

Whoever said there are more trees/forest than in pre columbian times must be smoking something good.  I've heard that nonsense before.  It could be possible that there are more trees in actual numbers, but if so, it's because all that's left is  1000 toothpicks for every old growth real tree. And those woodlands are often not so healthy.

They are overcrowded with small trees

A real ecosystem would have a mix of mature trees of various species and small saplings etc, with some open spaces.  The shade from larger trees keeps the small ones in check.  

When Europeans first came to New England, it has been said, you could walk from Boston to somewhere in upstate New York without ever leaving the canopy of the forest.  And the trees approached the size of trees you see in the northwest.  

A tree farm is a far cry from a healthy complete forest ecosystem like an old growth forest.  

Companies say they plant more than they cut, but the evidence says no.  You may not have traveled much in the pacific northwest, where the forests look good from the side of the road but behind the facade are vast areas of clearcut.  Many forests can't naturally regrow once they've been cut.  Many trees seeds need a forest fire to start the process of germination.  And an old growth forest with it's diversity of tree species and other fawna and flora is quite different from an almost monoculture replanted forest, which lacks that diversity.  Loggers cut down these diverse forests and then plant only one species.  The one they want to harvest.

There has been some improvement in logging practices.  

We could be making paper from hemp, which is more sustainable.  

I am a wood worker and appreciate the wood I use.

Logging can be done  more sustainably than it is.  I read about a company in Oregon called Collin Pine that uses sustainable logging practices, while making a profit.  It is claimed that their woodlots actually improve with use.

The demand for paper, especially in the U.S.,  is threatening the great boreal forest of Canada.

It's the largest intact ecosytem in North America and it's being carved up to make things like consumer catalogues.  It's been said that companies that put out the catalogues only get purchases from about 2% of the catalogues.  That is very wasteful.  Millions of trees are cut down each year to make these.  And we aren't talking about tree farms.

  

Why are we shipping whole logs to Japan?  Lumber companies complain that environmentalists are killing off lumber jobs.

Then they ship whole logs to Japan, instead of finished lumber products, thereby cutting out lumber jobs themselves.

I'm not so concerned with tree farms where they already exist, continuing operations.  That's better than encroaching more on existing more natural forests.  

There are other problems that most maybe don't know about.  I work on wooden boats.  One of the best boatbuilding woods is southern long leaf yellow pine.  But only the old growth wood is any good.  Tree farming for paper, pressurised lumber and the production of turpentine and it's derivatives has about eliminated old growth long leaf pine.   And of course encroachment by growing population hasn't helped.  There are three southern yellow pines, and they are all used, but for boatbuilding only the old long leaf is any good.  It's been called the cadillac of boat building woods.  It's now exceedingly rare.

This kind of thing is true in many species.

Teak is another prime boatbuilding wood, having excellent properties for that.  But supplies are dwindling and are largely in Burma, with it's problems, and economic sanctions are threatening to stop the supply.  There are now teak plantations but the wood grows too fast and is useless in boats, other than for decorative work or for lawn furntiture.   Fast growing woods don't have tight annular rings or grain in most woods.

There is a growing use of other tropical woods, what are called underutilized species,to take the place of teak, mahogany etc.  Many of these are from south america, southeast asia.  At least part of the rationale is that it will take pressure off the more popular species.

Bamboo is becoming popular as a replacement for wood in many applications, and is probably more sustainable as it grows very fast.  You may have seen some of the bamboo flooring that's becoming popular.

Answer 2

People are just not up on their facts.  There is more forest/trees than in 1604, when Europeans first came here.

Answer 3

When they say they replenish more to their tree farms, this doesn't have to be trees. Plus, it is their TREE FARMS. Please note that. They are still chopping down rainforests, and not replenishing them.

Forests provide oxygen for the world, and lots of it. Rainforests are also home to many rare animals, and they might become extinct soon if their habitat is destroyed. Rainforests can also provide other stuff, such as ingredients for medicines.

Rainforests provide lots to the world, and do have benefits in being kept intact.

Answer 4

the growing and harvesting of corn and wheat is as, or more destructive to the environment as timber harvest. You need to plant hundreds of trees to replace a mature tree. Lumber/timber companies only kill trees to make money. it is not as a favor for you.

Answer 5

Comparing tree "harvesting" (it really isn't... it's "logging") to farming wheat and corn is a very flawed apples-and-oranges analogy.

Sweeping, diverse, healthy ecosystems are being logged off -- these places are  lost forever.  What the logging companies are replacing them with is a joke.  They simple go in and plant a few thousand of the same species of tree and then log that off again when the trees reach the growth point that are profitable to cut down.

With how profitable and long term paper product recycling has become, we really need to take a good long term look at just what we are allowing the logging industry to do to our National woodlands.

Answer 6

and then they go to MC Donald's or whatever and use the napkins and at home use paper towels, bunch of flippin hypocrites

Answer 7

I saw a bumper sticker the other day that read:

If you are opposed to loggers, try using plastic toilet paper.

I think that says it all.

Answer 8

i don't complain that companies cut down trees. i understand that they need to do that in order for us to have paper. what people complain about is they don't see that these companies replace what they cut. they always say they replace it but people don't even see a single plant in the area. that is what we complain. we don't see the action they are telling us.

Answer 9

Well trees take much more time to grow than corn and wheat crops, but besides that, Trees provide oxygen to the plant (for us to breath) and they also absorb the CO2 that is given off by mankind as well as naturally in environment.  The trees also create a forest and a forest is the habitat/environment in which animals live in.  If we demolish their environment, we leave them no home and subject to suburban areas where they may be endanger or endanger humans.  

And more are being cut down, than put up.

Answer 10

We're losing our forests and wild areas to uncontrolled harvesting and development.

I think it would be the right thing to do to stop destruction of forests and only allow lumber harvesting on existing "farmed" tree plots. With farmed lumber, bamboo and alternative materials; and with appropriate laws (international laws) I think this could be done. I note that there is a desire for old growth wood, but that simply isn't sustainable in any large quantities. In fact, housing construction could switch to non-wood sources of construction materials. I note that in parts of Australia, they use concrete and steel instead of wood for the basic structures.

Timothy D.

West Melbourne, FL

Answer 11

People complain because they are not properly informed, don't understand or are ignorant.

The "not in my back yard" concept comes up here when they drive by and see a cut over which can be quite visually unappealing.

With more education and informal discussions people would understand the lumber harvest and the renewal program are to mimic natural events such as fire. The only difference is that we are using the timber before it goes up in flames.

Answer 12

probably because greedy lumber producers are cutting down valuable Forrest's at an unsustainable rate, see articles on the web relating to South American rain Forrest's.

I disagree that they all lumber companies replenish more than they harvest.

Answer 13

Generally people complain mostly on the actual visualization that has taken place large vast clear cuts on mountain ranges, and so on. Of course like you say the tree companies do replant alot of what they cut. These areas of course are left alone for many years to be cut later on for future cuttings. Of course alot of the paper companies in Maine have been going out of business. Mostly because of e-mail. There will probably always be some type of paper company out there especially the ones that make toilet paper

Answer 14

Your information is partly true, in various developing and underdevloped countries that is not the case and it is a dangerous game - If advanced countries can only use less of paper/change trends things will take a turn for the better- they are the trend setters.

Answer 15

The paper and lumbar companies cut down trees with a committment to replant the same number to maintain balance. But once the trees are cut, the committment goes to air and no replanting is done.