# Trees for paper? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 10, 2010, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trees-for-paper/528369 "2010-02-10T03:17:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2010, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trees-for-paper/528369/1 "2010-02-10T03:17:16Z")
Are enough trees farmed to supply the paper industry? My boss insists that no wild trees are harvested for pulp. He claims it’s a myth. I’m not sure either way, but I lean toward him being wrong. Peace, mangeorge ---
**Author:** ![powerjacob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f05b48/32.png) [@powerjacob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/powerjacob)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2010, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trees-for-paper/528369/2 "2010-02-10T14:53:59Z")
I have a friend who owns a lumber mill. From what I gather the trees they get come from plots of land that they either own or have lumber rights on. That’s not to say that if any new land comes available and has “wild trees” will not be harvested. They get cut down just the same. After they are cut the land then goes on to be replanted with (in their case) hardwood trees. He tells me that there are more trees now than the lumber industry can harvest thanks to conservation techniques, and people using alternative materials like bamboo (though this does not help his business). I cannot speak for the paper industry, but my friend says they ship almost all wood chips and materials they cannot use in making usable lumber to paper mills so it can be turned into pulp. Hope this helps ---
**Author:** ![EmAnJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d2c977/32.png) [@EmAnJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EmAnJ)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2010, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trees-for-paper/528369/3 "2010-02-10T15:09:50Z")
Are you speaking of the lumber industry in the US, North America or the world? ---
**Author:** ![HongKongFooey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c4cdca/32.png) [@HongKongFooey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HongKongFooey)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2010, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trees-for-paper/528369/4 "2010-02-10T15:13:25Z")
Check your PMs for more info from me. Here, I’ll just say that in my industry the trees are all farmed with some woodland (a fairly large percentage actually) set aside for wildlife conservation. ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2010, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trees-for-paper/528369/5 "2010-02-10T17:00:09Z")
> [@EmAnJ](#): > > Are you speaking of the lumber industry in the US, North America or the world? Well, to be fair, let’s say the world. ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2010, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trees-for-paper/528369/6 "2010-02-11T17:55:47Z")
> [@mangeorge](#): > > Well, to be fair, let’s say the world. A danger in that view is there are areas on the planet where proper forest conservation techniques are practiced, while other forest areas are essentially denuded. Adding insult to injury, the regional and planet effects are not fully appreciated. So while North American forestry practices may use various conservation programs (wildlife, trees and plants, soil, water, etc.) where the sum total is no net loss, and probably a net gain, South American forestry practices (slash and burn, for example) not only are a net loss for that area but may also have a worldwide negative impact. Rain Forest degradation impact equatorial forests in a manner that we could have a net positive impact all over the planet in other areas, but the world impact is vey much negative. ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2010, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trees-for-paper/528369/7 "2010-02-11T18:08:16Z")
The paper industries of Wisconsin grew the trees for the paper they produced. The type of tree for paper works well in that they can cut them down and they sprout from the roots. It’s a very easily sustained crop. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2010, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trees-for-paper/528369/8 "2010-02-11T20:17:41Z")
And while “wild” trees are sometimes sold for lumber (my grandfather would occasionally sell a few trees from a plot of woods he owned), and the scraps from that lumber might find their way into paper, I wouldn’t say that those trees were harvested _for paper_. ---
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2010, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trees-for-paper/528369/9 "2010-02-11T20:37:24Z")
The trees you grow for paper pulp are virtual weeds compared to the wood that makes for good lumber. IIMU that at least in America, the forest/plantations are used to grow pulpwood and low end lumber. Virtually no virgin forests are harvested for either these days. Mostly because most of those that could be already have been. The rest that could be are now in protection in parks/state forests/whatevers. Thats not to say Bob, who has a couple hundred acres of virgin forest that has been in the family since the war of northern aggression, doesnt occasionaly sell it off to pay for his double wide trailer. But thats probably in the noise tree harvesting wise.