--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Now when you cut a forest, an ancient…" description: "\"Now when you cut a forest, an ancient forest in particular, you are not just removing a lot of big trees and a few birds fluttering around in the canop..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/76a/e-o-wilson-1348_ancient_now-when-you-cut-a-forest-an-ancient-for_737526.jpg" --- # Now when you cut a forest, an ancient forest in… ![“Now when you cut a forest, an ancient forest in particular, you are not just removing a lot of big trees and a few birds fluttering around in the canopy. You are drastically imperiling a vast array of species within a few square miles of you. The number of these species may go to tens of…” quote by E. O. Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/76a/e-o-wilson-1348_ancient_now-when-you-cut-a-forest-an-ancient-for_737526.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/76a/e-o-wilson-1348_ancient_now-when-you-cut-a-forest-an-ancient-for_737526.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/76a/e-o-wilson-1348_ancient_now-when-you-cut-a-forest-an-ancient-for_737526.jpg) > “Now when you cut a forest, an ancient forest in particular, you are not just removing a lot of big trees and a few birds fluttering around in the canopy. You are drastically imperiling a vast array of species within a few square miles of you. The number of these species may go to tens of thousands. ... Many of them are still unknown to science, and science has not yet discovered the key role undoubtedly played in the maintenance of that ecosystem, as in the case of fungi, microorganisms, and many of the insects.” [E. O. Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-o-wilson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Destroying ancient forests eliminates countless known and unknown species, undermining ecosystem functions and future scientific discoveries. **In simple terms:** Cutting old forests kills many species and harms ecosystems. Key Takeaway Protect forests to preserve biodiversity. Themes conservation ecosystem biodiversity science environment Mood concerned urgent Type environmental educational When to use this quote - forest management - policy making - environmental education - research planning Key Concepts ecology species interdependence unknown species ecosystem services Questions to Reflect On - How can we balance development with forest preservation? - What unknown benefits might be lost? A Different Perspective Loss of species may be irreversible and affect human well‑being. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ancient](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ancient/) [Ancient Forest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ancient-forest-1859346/) [Bigs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bigs/) [Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bird/) [Canopy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/canopy/) [Cases](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cases/) [Cut Forest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cut-forest-1110538/) [Cutting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cutting/) [Deforestation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/deforestation/) [Ecosystems](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ecosystems/) [Environmental](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/environmental/) [Fluttering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fluttering/) [Forest Ancient](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forest-ancient-831308/) [Forests](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forests/) [Fungi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fungi/) [Insects](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/insects/) [Keys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/keys/) [Maintenance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/maintenance/) [May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/may/) [Microorganisms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/microorganisms/) [Miles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/miles/) [Number Species](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/number-species-342769/) [Numbers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/numbers/) [Particular](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/particular/) [Roles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/roles/) [Science](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science/) [Species](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/species/) [Species Tens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/species-tens-5764860/) [Squares](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/squares/) [Stills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stills/) [Tree](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tree/) [Trees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trees/) ## Related quotes > [Most people are surprised when they hear my somber figures: we know of 2 million species of plants, animals and microorganisms, and we can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-o-wilson/most-people-are-surprised-when-they-hear-my-somber-figures-we-know-of/) [E. O. Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-o-wilson/) > [“Only birds and the chittering and rustling of small animals sounded as I entered the still green western forest. I'd never ridden through these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-j-maas/only-birds-and-the-chittering-and-rustling-of-small-animals-sounded/) [Sarah J. Maas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-j-maas/) > [Why is it not just as likely that there were as many small general nearly at first as now, and as great a disproportion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/asa-gray/why-is-it-not-just-as-likely-that-there-were-as-many-small-general/) [Asa Gray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/asa-gray/) > [A modern arboretum brings us that ancient forest and, with it, a changed apprehension of time, a renewed appreciation of the elegance of natural…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-burnside/a-modern-arboretum-brings-us-that-ancient-forest-and-with-it-a/) [John Burnside](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-burnside/) > [“Between the borders of Faerie and the physical world stands an ancient forest where the trees are exceedingly tall; and although no longer visible…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabriel-brunsdon/between-the-borders-of-faerie-and-the-physical-world-stands-an/) [Gabriel Brunsdon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabriel-brunsdon/) > [“But clouds bellied out in the sultry heat, the sky cracked open with a crimson gash, spewed flame-and the ancient forest began to smoke.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yevgeny-zamyatin/but-clouds-bellied-out-in-the-sultry-heat-the-sky-cracked-open-with-a/) [Yevgeny Zamyatin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yevgeny-zamyatin/) > [When you get into the whole field of exploring, probably 90 percent of the kinds of organisms, plants, animals and especially microorganisms and tiny…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-o-wilson/when-you-get-into-the-whole-field-of-exploring-probably-90-percent-of/) [E. O. Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-o-wilson/) > [The big question that scientists haven't even begun to get an answer for is how many species of microorganisms are there? Now, this is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-o-wilson/the-big-question-that-scientists-haven-t-even-begun-to-get-an-answer/) [E. O. Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-o-wilson/) > [Cut down the forest, not just a tree. Out of the forest of desire springs danger. By cutting down both the forest of desire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gautama-buddha/cut-down-the-forest-not-just-a-tree-out-of-the-forest-of-desire/) [Gautama Buddha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gautama-buddha/) > [If you cut down a forest, it doesn't matter how many sawmills you have if there are no more trees.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-george/if-you-cut-down-a-forest-it-doesn-t-matter-how-many-sawmills-you-have/) [Susan George](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-george/) > [You've got to spread out as far as you can, cut down a whole forest, irrigate a whole desert, just to make sure that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-de-lint/you-ve-got-to-spread-out-as-far-as-you-can-cut-down-a-whole-forest/) [Charles de Lint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-de-lint/) > [There's a basic kind of tension here. It's between those who say, I'd like to clear cut this forest and reduce it to saw…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-babbitt/there-s-a-basic-kind-of-tension-here-it-s-between-those-who-say-i-d/) [Bruce Babbitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-babbitt/) > [“I suppose we haven’t lost more than two days by my short cut through the Forest! But perhaps the delay will prove useful –…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien/i-suppose-we-haven-t-lost-more-than-two-days-by-my-short-cut-through/) [J.R.R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien/) > [If you manage to stop the timber industry from cutting this forest, they'll cut that forest. If you stop oil drilling here, they'll go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woody-harrelson/if-you-manage-to-stop-the-timber-industry-from-cutting-this-forest/) [Woody Harrelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woody-harrelson/) > [From my numerous observations, I conclude that these tubercle bacilli occur in all tuberculous disorders, and that they are distinguishable from all other microorganisms.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-koch/from-my-numerous-observations-i-conclude-that-these-tubercle-bacilli/) [Robert Koch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-koch/) ## More by E. O. Wilson > [Without a trace of irony I can say I have been blessed with brilliant enemies. I owe them a great debt, because they redoubled…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-o-wilson/without-a-trace-of-irony-i-can-say-i-have-been-blessed-with-brilliant/) [E. O. Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-o-wilson/) > [It's always been a dream of mine, of exploring the living world, of classifying all the species and finding out what makes up the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-o-wilson/it-s-always-been-a-dream-of-mine-of-exploring-the-living-world-of/) [E. O. Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-o-wilson/) > [Competing is intense among humans, and within a group, selfish individuals always win. But in contests between groups, groups of altruists always beat groups…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-o-wilson/competing-is-intense-among-humans-and-within-a-group-selfish/) [E. O. Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-o-wilson/) > [When all else fails, men turn to reason.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-o-wilson/when-all-else-fails-men-turn-to-reason/) [E. O. Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-o-wilson/) > [The commitment must be much deeper - to let no species knowingly die; to take all reasonable action to protect every species and race…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-o-wilson/the-commitment-must-be-much-deeper-to-let-no-species-knowingly-die-to/) [E. O. Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-o-wilson/) > [Science is not marginal. Like art, it is a universal possession of humanity, and scientific knowledge has become a vital part of our species'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-o-wilson/science-is-not-marginal-like-art-it-is-a-universal-possession-of/) [E. O. Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-o-wilson/) > [The living environment is the biosphere, the thin layer around the world of living organisms. We're part of that. Our existence is dependent on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-o-wilson/the-living-environment-is-the-biosphere-the-thin-layer-around-the/) [E. O. Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-o-wilson/) > [The biological evolutionary perception of life and of human qualities is radically different from that of traditional religion, whether it's Southern Baptist or Islam…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-o-wilson/the-biological-evolutionary-perception-of-life-and-of-human-qualities/) [E. O. Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-o-wilson/) > [We should preserve every scrap of biodiversity as priceless while we learn to use it and come to understand what it means to humanity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-o-wilson/we-should-preserve-every-scrap-of-biodiversity-as-priceless-while-we/) [E. O. Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-o-wilson/) > [In many environments, take away the ants and there would be partial collapses in many of the land ecosystems.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-o-wilson/in-many-environments-take-away-the-ants-and-there-would-be-partial/) [E. O. Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-o-wilson/) > [If those committed to the quest fail, they will be forgiven. When lost, they will find another way. The moral imperative of humanism is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-o-wilson/if-those-committed-to-the-quest-fail-they-will-be-forgiven-when-lost/) [E. O. Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-o-wilson/) > [The extinctions ongoing worldwide promise to be at least as great as the mass extinction that occurred at the end of the age of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-o-wilson/the-extinctions-ongoing-worldwide-promise-to-be-at-least-as-great-as/) [E. O. Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-o-wilson/) > [Most people are surprised when they hear my somber figures: we know of 2 million species of plants, animals and microorganisms, and we can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-o-wilson/most-people-are-surprised-when-they-hear-my-somber-figures-we-know-of/) [E. O. Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-o-wilson/) > [Because the living environment is what really sustains us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-o-wilson/because-the-living-environment-is-what-really-sustains-us/) [E. O. Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-o-wilson/) > [The variety of genes on the planet in viruses exceeds, or is likely to exceed, that in all of the rest of life combined.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-o-wilson/the-variety-of-genes-on-the-planet-in-viruses-exceeds-or-is-likely-to/) [E. O. Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-o-wilson/) [Explore all 253 E. O. Wilson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-o-wilson/) ## More Ancient quotes > [“We ought to know the history of our ancient ancestors.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/we-ought-to-know-the-history-of-our-ancient-ancestors/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [In ancient times, those who wished to illuminate the world with virtue first brought order to their nations. Wishing to order well their nations,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/in-ancient-times-those-who-wished-to-illuminate-the-world-with-virtue/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [Ancient eyes had stared at me, filled with ancient grief. And something more. Something so alien and unexpected that I'd almost burst into tears.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-marie-moning/ancient-eyes-had-stared-at-me-filled-with-ancient-grief-and-something/) [Karen Marie Moning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-marie-moning/) > [“Whenever I think about ancient cultures nostalgia seizes me. Perhaps this is nothing but envy of the sweet slowness of the history of that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/whenever-i-think-about-ancient-cultures-nostalgia-seizes-me-perhaps/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) > [I don't know if I've come of age, but I'm certainly older now. I feel shrunken, as if there's a tiny ancient Oliver Tate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-dunthorne/i-don-t-know-if-i-ve-come-of-age-but-i-m-certainly-older-now-i-feel/) [Joe Dunthorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-dunthorne/) > [Tentatively I stood a great lump of wood on the chopping block and bought the axe down on it. It flew into two perfect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-garner/tentatively-i-stood-a-great-lump-of-wood-on-the-chopping-block-and/) [Helen Garner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-garner/) > [Men must speak English who can write Sanskrit; they must speak a modern language who write, perchance, an ancient and universal one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/men-must-speak-english-who-can-write-sanskrit-they-must-speak-a/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [The Tao is the center of the universe, the good man's treasure, the bad man's refuge. Honors can be bought with fine words, respect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/the-tao-is-the-center-of-the-universe-the-good-man-s-treasure-the-bad/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [So too, monks, I saw the ancient path, the ancient road traveled by the Perfectly Enlightened Ones of the past. And what is that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gautama-buddha/so-too-monks-i-saw-the-ancient-path-the-ancient-road-traveled-by-the/) [Gautama Buddha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gautama-buddha/) > [Ancient societies had anthropomorphic gods: a huge pantheon expanding into centuries of dynastic drama; fathers and sons, martyred heroes, star-crossed lovers, the deaths of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hiddleston/ancient-societies-had-anthropomorphic-gods-a-huge-pantheon-expanding/) [Tom Hiddleston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hiddleston/) > [My life shall be free and broad and great, and I will not be the slave to the sense delights which chained my ancient…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-london/my-life-shall-be-free-and-broad-and-great-and-i-will-not-be-the-slave/) [Jack London](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-london/) > [Those of us with this ancient compulsion to tell stories sometimes start with a single kernel of something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-p-jones/those-of-us-with-this-ancient-compulsion-to-tell-stories-sometimes/) [Edward P. Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-p-jones/) > [All the stories I have told you are finally as useless as all ancient knowledge is to man and to us. Its images and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-rice/all-the-stories-i-have-told-you-are-finally-as-useless-as-all-ancient/) [Anne Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-rice/) > [So what if I'm ninety-three? So what if I'm ancient and cranky and my body's a wreck? If they're willing to accept me and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-gruen/so-what-if-i-m-ninety-three-so-what-if-i-m-ancient-and-cranky-and-my/) [Sara Gruen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-gruen/) > [Science has revealed a universe that is vast, ancient, violent, strange, and beautiful, a universe of almost infinite variety and possibility one in which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-mlodinow/science-has-revealed-a-universe-that-is-vast-ancient-violent-strange/) [Leonard Mlodinow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-mlodinow/) [Browse all 2,415 Ancient quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ancient/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Now when you cut a forest, an ancient forest in particular, you are not just removing a lot of big trees and a few birds fluttering around in the canopy. You are drastically imperiling a vast array of species within a few square miles of you. 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