Clear cutting absolutely did happen in the US. Take a flight over the Pacific Northwest and you can clearly see the effect decades later. Get out into remote ar

Clear cutting absolutely did happen in the US. Take a flight over the Pacific Northwest and you can clearly see the effect decades later. Get out into remote areas and you can also see just how stark selective cutting is compared to a pristine landscape. Second growth is only a step in the ecological process of producing a mature forest. Most of the east coast's regrowth is not representative of the original species, though it is often farther along in the process compared to the west coast. These places take multiple centuries to come back to their former pristine state. Why does it take so long? Plant species are sensitive to available light and moisture. Canopies regulate this on the ground, but also rely on established plants for their development. Immature, modified or non-existent canopies cannot support the same life. Selective cutting modifies the canopy. Established growth underneath does not survive, even if it is still alive when the crew goes home. When the canopy recovers in a single century the lower plants can thrive once again.