Question

how did the first and second world war affect forests

Answer 1

These two wars affected the forests resources as they were used to meet the war needs. EG: Timber for British's royal navy.
The two World Wars brought a significant impact on environment as they contributed to deforestation at a massive scale. Trees were cut down to meet the requirements of the British war effort. In Java, due to the scorched earth policy of the Dutch, sawmills were destroyed and huge piles of teak logs were burnt to prevent them from falling into Japanese hands. The Japanese also exploited the forests to meet their war requirements. Villagers used this opportunity to expand their area of cultivation into forests.