[GlobalFrog]

Actually, forests in France have doubled since 1850 and cover today 31% of the total France superficy. It is now about the same size as it was at the end of the Middle-Ages. The peak of forest superficy was around the Xth century, mostly because after the fall of the roman empire, a lot of lands were just left out to themselves, because deforestation was quite active before that, with the gauls and the romans cutting forests for agriculture. Sweden is the european country with the biggest forest area compared to its size, but they are mostly coniferous trees, whereas in France they are mostly leafy trees. So, to answer the parent comment about regenerating wild forests and the percentage of forests France has: France is not in a bad league at all, far from it.

[wombatmobile]

If Brazil followed the French model, and deforested for 500 years, then reforested to 31% over 150 years, would you say Brazil is not in a bad league at all, far from it?

[blastonico]

It's easier to care about things when you got rich by exploiting the exactly same thing. And also by exploiting things from 'colonies' - aka stealing.