Before long, the colonies were exporting wood to the many nations that no longer had the timber they needed for ships, casks, shingles, and other construction materials. Trees were also cut to clear cropland, provide heat, and the fledgling nation was using up its forests to build its own ironworks and railroads as well.
美国的森林砍伐早在殖民地时代就开始了。不久，殖民地把木头出口到那些已经不再有木材的国家供它们制造船只、木桶、木瓦和其他建筑材料。树木还被砍伐掉以清理耕地、供热，而这个新兴国家还耗尽它的森林以建造它自己的铁制品还有铁路。