Removal of these forests for agriculture or grazing exposes the land to rainfall causing soil run off that depletes the nutrient content, this gives rise to increased fertilser use. In addition run off reaches rivers and lakes causing silting

In the UK and many other European and North American countries a programme of afforestation has taken place increasing the tree cover with cash crop timber. In the UK the Forestry Commission was set up in 1919 to ensure that Britain became self-sufficient in timber supplies. The Commission had powers to buy land and create its own plantation.

Currently 800,000 hectares of land in the UK divided equally between the forestry commission and private land owners is devoted to softwood plantations - rapid growing conifer stands, mainly pines, this reached a peak in the late 1980's.

These pines impact heavily on the nutrient cycle the needle-like leaves are low in nutrients and support very few species and decompose very slowly.

Certificates for Forest Stewardship from

http://www.fsc-uk.demon.co.uk