Is there any monetary value to leaving the trees and harvesting something else?

Global Warming Cure

Yes. Take all the Bibles in existence and recycle them for energy. That should save us some time.

Jamin

Harvesting trees using proper practices isn't harmful at all, it's actually quite beneficial to the environment and would solve many of the messes we're having with forests now. For example, a mature tree is not producing more oxygen than it is using. Plants turn CO2 into O2 when they're growing, turning the CO2 into structural carbohydrates. When they aren't growing their oxygen production slows significantly. Growing trees are healthier for the soil, helping break it up with their root growth. Also younger trees will provide habitat that different animals need, especially things like larger birds that need shorter trees to hide in. Logging will also clear dead clutter, which will prevent dangerous forest fires that are destroying so much and dumping tons of carbon in the air. Loggers don't just clear cut forests, they're smarter than that, and if we'd stop locking down forests and let them be sustainably logged it'd be a huge benefit to the environment, and provide more lumber that people need.

Adam D

If by "something else" you mean coal, oil, gold, rare earth metals...

random_man

You can harvest maple sap for syrup.

Paula

No sadly. There is no other source of wood chips other than trees. And that is the problem. Because trees have other uses than being turned into newsprint. They are cool and shady on a hot day. You can go camping and hiking in trees. And trees make oxygen that we breathe. And animals and birds live in the forest.

Bill-M

Yes. Please leave the Trees. Trees produce OXYGEN that we humans need.

Airbender

Yes catechismmiaclly there is