Is harvesting trees harmful to our atmosphere?

No, not as long as we continue to plant more of them. When trees are harvested for forest products like lumber and paper, there is no net loss of trees. That's because the forest products industry plants new trees for the ones it harvests, often creating new tree plantations on lands where no forests had existed.

This type of forest management is called sustainable forestry, and it guarantees that forests will continue growing indefinitely. Unlike the permanent clearing of trees for farming, housing, new malls, and other commercial development, sustainable forestry practices allow trees to grow back, and encourage new growth through planting and caring for new trees.