Are trees endangered/protected?

[Primalclaws1974]

I realize that there are areas that are forbidden to be logged, such as national parks. That is not what I mean. Are certain species of trees illegal to cut down just because there aren't many? Sequoias are an obvious example. They are ancient living trees that grow in one very small spot. Are there others?

 

[claudine]

Here, where I live, the only trees that you can cut down without permission are fruit trees. In my opinion it's a very good law. I strongly believe that all trees in all parts of the world should be protected

 

[zigs]

Don't think we've got any protected tree species in the UK, but there are a lot of Ancient trees that are legally protected.

This guy, Ted Green, has done more than anyone to help identify and protect Ancient trees.

http://www.ancient-tree-forum.org.uk/ancient-tree-forum/atfnews/news03/030103.htm

He taught me at College and used to scare the willies out of the other students, but I really liked him

 

[Primalclaws1974]

I agree that ancient trees like the sequoia and bristlecone pine should be protected. They are probably endangered. But even if a tree is fairly common now, it doesn't mean it will remain that way long. Trees have long been considered an endless resource. The United States once was covered with about 85% trees. Today it's 15%. It is definitely a renewable resource, but only if you put the effort into it.

 

[Cereus]

Old growth forests are strictly protected these days because you can't get them anymore. The US used to have one of the largest reserves of old growth wood but that's no longer the case. We have pretty much destroyed 90% of our old growth forests. Russia has extreme measures put into place to protect their old growth forests because it's one of the last in the world and the wood that's legally harvested from there goes into producing extremely high end instruments and furniture. Other countries put very strict restrictions in harvesting exotic wood such as mahogany and ebony from their forests.

 

[Primalclaws1974]

The forests have been almost completely obliterated in America. I live in Iowa. Although we are known for prairies, the eastern half of our state was once the edge of an almost unending forest that went from Iowa to the eastern seaboard (1,000 miles)! At one time my state had black bear running wild everywhere. But by the 1880's the forests were gone and so were the bears. It took white men only a 100 years (and only 40 as a state) to destroy it all.

Here is a link showing how the forests used to be compared to now: http://www.endgame.org/gtt-oldgrowth-map-us.html. I find it interesting that the last map, showing modern times, shows such a light peppering of forests in Colorado. We were there this summer, and it seemed forests were everywhere. I guess my modern ideas of forest are nothing like the past.

 

[Cereus]

Most of the Midwest was completely cleared away to make room for farming. I luckily grew up in Washington where there's forests aplenty and as a child grew up seeing nothing but endless trees. It was hard to believe that once upon a time that Indiana was nothing but forest land. Looking at it today, it'd be almost impossible to believe. The southern part of the state still has some forest land but it's nothing compared to out West. Because of all the clear cutting the Dust Bowl came to be and lots of valuable topsoil was lost. Now the only kind of soil that's left in most of Indiana is clay.