Lack of trees... baloney. We have more forests then when the country was first settled.
“We have more forests then when the country was first settled.”
Not exactly. However, we have much more forests in places like MN, WI, VT, MA, NH, ME, NY, CT than we did after the Civil War.
ME & NH are the number #1 & 2 most forested states in country as a percentage.
Many of the northern states were heavily logged/cleared of timber in the 1800s and early 1900s. NH was 80% cleared in 1865. Primarily for farmland. However, the White Mtn national forest was also cleared/cut. One hundred years later it was 80% forested. Most of the smart farmers learned you could grow things better in OH, IN, IL & IA than you could in the rocks and acidic soils of New England.
Out in the western US there were vast forests in the Pacific Northwest. However, there was evidence of major fires in places like California for eons. Places where the fires literally burned right down to the ocean/beach.
There are species like Douglas Fir that actually depend on forest fires to regenerate themselves. These are the largest conifer trees in the western US and Canada except the Sequoias and Redwoods.
Douglas Fir cones will open from the heat from the fire. The Doug Fir seedlings are not shade tolerant. They can not grow in the shade of other trees. Therefore, their cones adapted to opening after major fires. Then the little trees could grow up in bright sunlight. This is also the reason why foresters clear cut. So, the DF seedlings will grow upon being replanted.