The U.S. Department of Agriculture controls the U.S. Forest Service. As such, trees have been thought of as a crop for many years. An example is this clear-cut in Idaho's Salmon National Forest. Across the United States, more than 95 percent of the old-growth forests are now gone. Recently some lumber companies have become more interested in sustainable, selective harvests of trees in which clear-cuts are avoided. Many environmental groups praise such new logging methods for their less severe impacts on landscapes and watersheds.
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