Bobhimself of Fall River, MA The Native Americans set fire to the forest to clear it for planting. Along the river banks, where they spent their summers fishing, they cleared all but the largest trees. That killed off the bugs and when the deer went for a drink, the could get a clear shot.
In the winter they would keep large fires going all the time. They would camp in the deep woods so to be protected from the wind.
They would kill a large tree by removing the bark and wait for a few seasons. Chopping down a tree with stone axes took a long time.
Then someone traded a beaver pelts for an iron ax. They jumped 20,000 years out of the stone age.
They could clear more land, raise more crops.

Our forests are in the worst condition in over 40,000 years. We stop the forest fires. Now bugs that don't belong here have killed and are killing many trees.
I read an account of a 1770's Minister, that came across a 140 ft fallen tree near Keene NH. That would be 14 stores high.
Another Minister want the parish to provide him with 30 cords of wood to heat his house with fireplaces.
Clearing land was a full time job. Houses, barns, ships, heating, charcoal making for iron production, and making pitch. Also to convert corn into whiskey.
After 200 years they ran out of wood. They moved west to cut down more trees.report abuse

Tom Davis of winslow, ME how damaging is all the hot air coming from the Statehouse for our enviroment? It can't be any worse?report abuse

wingnut of Vassalboro, ME Isn't this going to pi55 off those dimocrat liberal left wing tree hugging morons. We can't afford oil and they don't want us to burn wood and coal..maybe we should find out how many BTUs there are in a cord of POLITICIANS!report abuse

huh maybe of FairField, ME When "they" started building houses out of wood and ran low, the Russian Fireplace was created.

My Father had one built. The chimney NEVER has been cleaned and will NEVER need to be.

One quick fast HOT fire makes the BRICKS HOT. Fire goes OUT and chimney gets closed off to SAVE~HEAT

My Father went ALL winter w/ NO O!L and had their water heated by his Russian
I've seen them made w/ P!ZZA~OVENz ... yumreport abuse