How Do Forests Disappear From The Earth?

Every single month, an area of tropical forest or jungle equal in size to Massachusetts disappears from the earth.

Few countries take as good care of their forests as do Europe, Canada, and the United States. Many countries allow trees to be cut down for lumber without new ones being planted to take their place.

In some countries, though, when an oak tree is cut down it is replaced by a pine tree. That’s because the pine will grow to full size in 80 years while the oak will take 200.

Evergreens (also called conifers because of their cones) do not help a forest store water as well as trees like oaks (called deciduous trees because they drop their leaves).

Fortunately for the United States, 58 percent of its forests are made up of deciduous trees.