We have regenerated millions of acres of cutover land to productive crops of trees. For every ton of wood grown, trees use about 1.5 tons of carbon dioxide and give off a little more than 1 ton of life-sustaining oxygen. To put this in perspective, a reasonably well managed acre of southern pine on an average site will grow about 3 tons of wood per year, use about 4.4 tons of carbon dioxide, and give off 3.2 tons of oxygen. Some say we are irrelevant. When trees mature, the process is reversed and deterioration commences.
Growth slows, oxygen is used, and carbon dioxide is released.
Before these minuses get too far along, the trees should be harvested and utilized. Utilization is better than rot and waste. This is a natural and sensible balance between the environment and the economy. I believe the profession must focus on the establishment, protection, growth, and harvesting of commercial crops of timber. This does not mean that other products and benefits should be ignored.