Several years ago I read a book which claimed to debunk many of the claims made by environmentalists.
Now, I don’t remember the name of the book, but one of the subjects dealt with the amount of trees in America. According to the author, not only are we not chopping down all our forests, but there are now more trees in the country than in 1920. Does anyone have any information on this?
Don’t know about the US as a whole, but I know some of the history of NH. In the early/mid 1800’s the state was 20-30% forested, most of the rest was farmland. Currently the state is 70-80% forested.
Granted, the composition and health of the forest land is much different. And before the European settlers came in there was even more forest than currently.
I don’t have any information on your specific question, but if you want a book similar to what you mention, I recommend Bjorn Lomborg’s The Skeptical Environmentalist.
I’m only about a third of the way through, so it may be in there, but information on forest cover in the United States is not in the index (plenty on rainforest issues, though).
Some general forest statistics:
http://www.fs.fed.us/pl/pdb/98report/02_stats.html
This report states that between 1987 and 1992, forested land increased 0.1%, reversing a slight decrease in the period 1963-1987. It also states that, as of 1992, the land area covered by forest was approximately 2/3 of the total for 1600. Further, clearing of forest for agriculture reasons pretty much stopped by 1920.
I would imagine that the growth of tree plantations over the decades could mean that less area has more trees, as the plantations try to maximize the number of trees per hectare.
There’s my feeble attempt to google this one. Someone with serious numbers will surely be along.
I’d just like to point out that the number of trees in the country is not necessarily a good indicator of environmental health. For example, due to overgrazing and fire suppression, many western areas that were grasslands pre-European settlement have been taken over by junipers and mesquite.
And areas that used to be open prarrie are now mixed farmland/woodland.
It is an old accounting trick used by the forest industry, but it is true as stated. There are many more trees in the country today compared with man’s first intrusion. Most areas’ mature timber stands have been replaced with younger trees.
For example, taking out one mature tree makes room for dozens if not hundreds of replacement shade intolerant trees.
Like any statistical statement, it is subject to interpretation.