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How is taking down more forest environmentally sound idea?

I guess you have to compare the impact of cutting down some trees (and replacing them, I assume? Maybe even replacing them with more trees in a wider area), drying them and cutting them with the impact of mining, smelting and producing Steel for more traditional ships. I assume mining also involves removing trees and wildlife to clear the area.

These things aren't always as obvious as "cutting down trees is bad", if it's better than the alternatives and we can offset the impact then its an improvement right?

It is worth a study since the trees needed for ships (hard woods) is very different than trees needed for construction/paper (soft woods). Pine trees grow fast and can be harvested while relatively young and weak. Trees for ships tend to be older and stronger hard woods that take much longer to grow.

As I understand it, paper doesn't care how tight grained the wood pulp was. Wooden beams meant for longevity or load bearing very much do, and a lot of the best ones are hardwood (deciduous), or the cypress family (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cupressaceae) many of which are slow growing but very long-lived.

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