We are not running out of trees, especially in the developed countries. Much developed country wood production occurs in secondary-growth, or managed forests. The authors note an encouraging trend toward more environmentally and socially responsible forestry practices. Nature conservation and amenity value are increasingly important in forestry management decisions. The report argues that commercial forestry still leads to significant changes in the ecology of forests.
Trees tend to be younger, smaller, and more uniform in species composition.
Vegetation under tree canopies is simpler or thinner and, as a result, the rich variety of birds, insects, mammals, plants and fungi that typically thrive in natural forests is reduced. The WRI report points out that industrial wood plantations now supply just over 20 percent of total global fiber production. This share is expected to increase in the future, but the report warns that increased production from plantations will not necessarily decrease harvest rates in natural forests. The authors recommend that governments aggressively switch policies to encourage production from plantations and intensive forest management in selected areas, and to discourage old growth harvesting. An immense toll is also being taken on forests by road building, encroaching agriculture, and fires.