Is cutting down trees good for the environment a as bad climate change?

[harrison102]

Is cutting down trees good or bad for the environment? Planet or wildlife?

[NamerOfStars]

Pretend that the whole spectrum of plausibly human-caused climate change is a yardstick. Global warming would be only about ten inches of that. The Greenhouse effect would be about four inches of THAT, and CO2 emissions only about half an inch. Cutting down trees removes a carbon sink, and damages habitat space for tree-dwelling species- but it gives MORE space for prairie-dwellers, lets new plants grow in to possibly replenish (or possibly damage; there are a LOT of options) the soil, and creates a selection advantage for more adaptable life forms.

It's not as simple as "good" or "bad"; the only hard-and-fast rule is that disrupting homeostasis is bad for those living things relying on the status quo- at least in the short term.

And this is on top of the fact that there is quite obviously NON-human-caused climate change as well (unless you're going to argue that we somehow melted the pre-Cambrian ice shell), which our actions may mitigate or worsen, depending on what we do and which direction it's going. Once a species has a noteworthy ability to affect the environment, selection ceases to be entirely natural- and humanity passed that point LONG ago.

So our role as stewards extends beyond our own survivability- what do we want Earth-based life to BE?

[Pohjolan]

That's extremely contextual.

If we cut down trees but plant new saplings and use the wood for renewable material replacing fossil ones then its a overall positive for the environment.

However if we don't plant new saplings in a environment where it cause desertification and the wood is used ineffectively then bad for the environment.

[Anonymous]

The climate has been changing for billions of years. All this climate change crap is brought on by the NWO. Al Gore had four mansions, and he lectured on YOUR carbon foot print. I once saw a good commercial from a lumber company. They said it takes 40 years to grow a tree, so that's why we only cut down 1/40th of the trees on our property each year. Go to Oregon and see the massive acres of poplar trees. It's a crop just like corn. Those trees grow like weeds, and without them, what would you use for toilet paper? Cut the trees down and plant some new ones.

[harrison102]

But wasn’t trees here before us humans? I can use grass to wipe my arse which grows much quickly then a tree have a good wash afterwards maybe?

[Opinion Owner]

Forest management is important. The tards in California didn't want home owners to cut down brush on their property, because the crickets or whatever, liked the brush. Brilliant. So now they just have devastating wild fires. I'm sure the crickets loved that. .

[NotTacocaT6969]

You’re 32 and should not need to ask this question.


That’s like asking if removal of the hands improves handwriting.

[harrison102]

Well I’ve spoken to tree surgeons and they are around my age and don’t get it lol

[purplepoppy]

Both. A well managed woodland that includes logging will always be healthier than one left to it's own devices.
Limited destruction brings diversity in nature.

[Anonymous]

Look at the science. Talking to sources that make it a political weapon isn’t accurate. Neither is asking ‘tree surgeons’. They are in the business of cutting them down.

[harrison102]

But not making anything with them the ones I spoke to? Just cutting them then shredded the wood

[exitseven]

Prpoer forest management helps the environment. Clear cutting reduces the planet's capacity to convert CO2 to oxygen

[Astarlessnightsky]

Really bad, you are destroying a piece of nature.