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Article: Forest Service
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- Earth Explorer
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Earth Explorer
02-01-1995
Forest Service
Three centuries ago, about half the land that makes up the United States was covered with forest, including the eastern third of the continent. In fact, it was said that a squirrel living then could have traveled from Maine to the Mississippi River without touching the earth.
In 1800, roughly 19 of every 20 Americans lived either on a farm or in a small village. Most of the early European settlers saw the forests of North America not only as limitless but also as obstacles to farming. Cutting the forests seemed to be the right thing to do.
However, late in the century, a number of Americans grew concerned about the shrinking woodlands. Hunters ...