I believe that is designated forested land that has increased. Mature and virgin forest are both still in decline in the US.

Speaking of koolaid, perhaps the AMA could be made interested in labeling it part of a healthy, balanced diet. Hey, why not ? Why fight obesity among USAmericans when it is so much simpler and easier to label it good ? That way we could say - See ? With elevated CO2 flora ( all flora ) is growing obese, with the compromised immune systems and metabolisms that come along with the excess calories, so lets all be happy with our poor nutrition together!

"PLANTS have never had it so good. Ever since the Industrial Revolution we've been pumping billions of tonnes of their favourite food into the atmosphere, and they're lapping it up. Of course, filling the atmosphere with carbon dioxide has had some serious effects on the climate. But look on the bright side; at least we'll have more food.

Not so fast. According to Princeton biologist Irakli Loladze, we may have overlooked a potentially devastating consequence of rising CO2 levels. It might be a boon to plants, but higher levels of the gas could trigger a pandemic of human malnutrition.

At first, this sounds nonsensical. Surely faster-growing plants can only make food more plentiful? Indeed it will, but quantity isn't the issue here. Loladze reckons we should be deeply worried about the quality of food from these plants. According to his analysis, crops that grow in high CO2 are nutritionally barren, denuded of vital micronutrients such as iron, zinc, selenium and chromium. If he's right, we're heading for a world where there's food, food everywhere, yet not a thing to eat."

http://math.la.asu.edu/~kuang/PlagueOfPlenty.pdf

And not that I think charcoal is a panacea for anything, but H***, the forests that we have destroyed these past 8000 years should get some deep and rational consideration if we are talking about a healthy Earth.

So quantity and quality are two distinct characteristics, methinks. Enjoy your 4th of July hotdogs, y'all.

--- In farmandfood@yahoogroups.com, Steve Spence <steve@...> wrote:
>
> Says who?
>
> What rapid change?
>
> I think you have been drinking the radical left's koolaid.
>
> We have more, and healthier forests now than we did 100 years ago. Even
> if significantly increased CO2 levels were to happen, that would enhance
> plant growth. I live in the Adirondacks, and the forests are thriving.
>
>
>
>
> Steve Spence
> Renewable energy and self sufficiency
> http://www.green-trust.org
> http://makingthewebwork.blogspot.com/
>
>
>
>
> David Yarrow wrote:
> >
> the very survival of forests is under threat due to
> > accelerating impacts of climate change, acid rain, soil depletion,
> > insect & disease outbreaks, and demand for renewable fuels. trees and
> > companion vegetation can't adapt to such rapid onset of climate change
> > and other stresses.
> >
>