Answer: False.
The popularity of the phrase “Save a tree” has resulted in the general misunderstanding that trees are harvested to make paper alone. No, sir.
As a matter of fact, if you take a 40-foot maple tree:
- The bottom 8 feet are used for high quality veneer
- The next ~8 feet will be converted into lumber for furniture, flooring, etc.
- The next section (including larger branches) is considered pulp wood, used for paper making and residential firewood
- The uppermost portion will usually be chipped up for biomass (industrial fuel)
Trees truly are multi-purpose raw materials!