--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Cutting down a forest for timber adds to…" description: "\"Cutting down a forest for timber adds to GDP, but what we don't record is the loss to our wealth in terms of natural resources.\" — Winnie Byanyima" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bc4/winnie-byanyima-4582_forest_cutting-down-a-forest-for-timber-adds-to_1200046.png" --- # Cutting down a forest for timber adds to GDP, but what we… ![“Cutting down a forest for timber adds to GDP, but what we don't record is the loss to our wealth in terms of natural resources.” quote by Winnie Byanyima](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bc4/winnie-byanyima-4582_forest_cutting-down-a-forest-for-timber-adds-to_1200046.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bc4/winnie-byanyima-4582_forest_cutting-down-a-forest-for-timber-adds-to_1200046.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bc4/winnie-byanyima-4582_forest_cutting-down-a-forest-for-timber-adds-to_1200046.png) > “Cutting down a forest for timber adds to GDP, but what we don't record is the loss to our wealth in terms of natural resources.” [Winnie Byanyima](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winnie-byanyima/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Economic growth metrics ignore environmental loss, undervaluing natural wealth. **In simple terms:** GDP misses nature’s true value. Key Takeaway Include ecological assets in economic planning. Themes economics environment sustainability Mood urgent hopeful Type policy environmental When to use this quote - national budgeting - corporate reporting - investment decisions - urban planning Key Concepts ecology valuation policy Questions to Reflect On - How can we price ecosystem services? - What policies protect natural wealth? A Different Perspective Measuring nature is complex and contested. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Forest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forest/) [Loss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/loss/) [Natural resources](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/natural-resources/) [Wealth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wealth/) ## Related quotes > [Nowadays almost all man's improvements, so called, as the building of houses and the cutting down of the forest and of all large trees,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/nowadays-almost-all-man-s-improvements-so-called-as-the-building-of-2/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [We aren’t exactly emptying the oceans; it’s more like clear-cutting a forest with thousands of species to create massive fields with one type of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-safran-foer/we-aren-t-exactly-emptying-the-oceans-it-s-more-like-clear-cutting-a/) [Jonathan Safran Foer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-safran-foer/) > [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/) > [We treat a planet at crisis point as an externality that can be shunted into a future generation. We continue to act as if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winnie-byanyima/we-treat-a-planet-at-crisis-point-as-an-externality-that-can-be/) [Winnie Byanyima](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winnie-byanyima/) > [When I joined Ford, in the late 1970s, I felt strongly we could not forever be a huge user of natural resources without there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-i-joined-ford-in-the-late-1970s-i-felt-strongly-we-could-not/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“If overpopulation or lack of resources created poverty, then Hong Kong should be poor. 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But on other hand, Angola is also important to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joao-lourenco/the-united-states-is-a-very-important-country-to-us-in-the/) [Joao Lourenco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joao-lourenco/) > [I've said multiple times that the world's first trillionaire is going to be the person who exploits the resources of asteroids, the natural resources…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/i-ve-said-multiple-times-that-the-world-s-first-trillionaire-is-going/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [All our efforts to defeat poverty and pursue sustainable development will be in vain if environmental degradation and natural resource depletion continue unabated.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kofi-annan/all-our-efforts-to-defeat-poverty-and-pursue-sustainable-development/) [Kofi Annan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kofi-annan/) ## More by Winnie Byanyima > [Having an economy that works for the 99% is achievable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winnie-byanyima/having-an-economy-that-works-for-the-99-is-achievable/) [Winnie Byanyima](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winnie-byanyima/) > [Corporations are driving down wages and working conditions across the globe to maximize returns for their shareholders. They use their power and influence to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winnie-byanyima/corporations-are-driving-down-wages-and-working-conditions-across-the/) [Winnie Byanyima](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winnie-byanyima/) > [By empowering a woman, we empower a child. By educating a girl child, we make it possible for her to grow up to become…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winnie-byanyima/by-empowering-a-woman-we-empower-a-child-by-educating-a-girl-child-we/) [Winnie Byanyima](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winnie-byanyima/) > [A global tax body would give all countries - not just the rich and powerful - an equal say in how the global rules…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winnie-byanyima/a-global-tax-body-would-give-all-countries-not-just-the-rich-and/) [Winnie Byanyima](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winnie-byanyima/) > [Governments should end the extreme concentration of wealth in order to end poverty. This means tackling tax dodging but also increasing taxes on wealth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winnie-byanyima/governments-should-end-the-extreme-concentration-of-wealth-in-order/) [Winnie Byanyima](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winnie-byanyima/) > [You are not going to lift everybody out of poverty through the kindness of wealthy people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winnie-byanyima/you-are-not-going-to-lift-everybody-out-of-poverty-through-the/) [Winnie Byanyima](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winnie-byanyima/) > [Climate change is the biggest threat to our chances of winning the fight against hunger.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winnie-byanyima/climate-change-is-the-biggest-threat-to-our-chances-of-winning-the/) [Winnie Byanyima](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winnie-byanyima/) > [African countries lose billions every year because of tax dodging by big corporations and wealthy individuals. 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But the damage caused…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winnie-byanyima/developing-countries-can-make-great-strides-towards-more-progressive/) [Winnie Byanyima](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winnie-byanyima/) > [My own life values were shaped in great part by my mother, who instigated women's clubs in my village. Women were able to organize…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winnie-byanyima/my-own-life-values-were-shaped-in-great-part-by-my-mother-who/) [Winnie Byanyima](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winnie-byanyima/) > [The conniving, rich oilmen that were so desperate to prevent and frustrate the Paris Agreement found cheerleaders in Mr. Trump and his party. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winnie-byanyima/the-conniving-rich-oilmen-that-were-so-desperate-to-prevent-and/) [Winnie Byanyima](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winnie-byanyima/) [Explore all 109 Winnie Byanyima quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winnie-byanyima/) ## More Forest quotes > [“A sense of desolation settled within me: a cold, slimy stone lodged under my lungs. There was nothing happy about the woods, I thought,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-davidson/a-sense-of-desolation-settled-within-me-a-cold-slimy-stone-lodged/) [Craig Davidson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-davidson/) > [“Sentinels of trees breathe life into bodies of earthly flesh As their mighty arms reach to the stars we join in their quest for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramon-ravenswood/sentinels-of-trees-breathe-life-into-bodies-of-earthly-flesh-as-their/) [Ramon Ravenswood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramon-ravenswood/) > [Yes, Brazil, like the whole world, stands to lose a lot in a climate-altered world. But it's also one of the major forces determining…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gisele-bundchen/yes-brazil-like-the-whole-world-stands-to-lose-a-lot-in-a-climate/) [Gisele Bundchen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gisele-bundchen/) > [The Shiv Sena says that when it comes to power, they will declare Aarey as a forest. How will they declare it a forest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raj-thackeray/the-shiv-sena-says-that-when-it-comes-to-power-they-will-declare/) [Raj Thackeray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raj-thackeray/) > [We did a 'Vanity Fair' spread for 'The Hunger Games,' and we were on set, and I saw a little head pop up from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-ludwig/we-did-a-vanity-fair-spread-for-the-hunger-games-and-we-were-on-set/) [Alexander Ludwig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-ludwig/) > [Darkness, air, water, and sky will come together... and shake the forest to its roots.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-hunter/darkness-air-water-and-sky-will-come-together-and-shake-the-forest-to/) [Erin Hunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-hunter/) > [“The branches do not support the root. But the root supports the branches.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/the-branches-do-not-support-the-root-but-the-root-supports-the/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [“… I can only wish to remember the good times and forget the things I refuse to remember. They are nothing but heartache.” -Sophia…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teresa-may-b-bandiola/i-can-only-wish-to-remember-the-good-times-and-forget-the-things-i/) [Teresa May B. Bandiola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teresa-may-b-bandiola/) > [Normally, you want the river when the water is low and not when it's flooded. For example, there are parts of the Amazon where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-wade/normally-you-want-the-river-when-the-water-is-low-and-not-when-it-s/) [Jeremy Wade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-wade/) > [“It's your fault, Eeyore. You've never been to see any of us. You just stay here in this one corner of the Forest waiting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-a-milne-2/it-s-your-fault-eeyore-you-ve-never-been-to-see-any-of-us-you-just/) [A.A. Milne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-a-milne-2/) > [Chimpanzees, gorillas, orangutan shave been living for hundreds of thousands of years in their forest,living fantastic lives, never overpopulating, never destroying the forest. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-goodall/chimpanzees-gorillas-orangutan-shave-been-living-for-hundreds-of/) [Jane Goodall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-goodall/) > [“transfixed by the forest flying behind us. Every tree passed is another memory coming back to haunt me, like that night Dylan, Tyson, Joey,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/k-b-nelson/transfixed-by-the-forest-flying-behind-us-every-tree-passed-is/) K.B. Nelson > [Look, as an institutionalist who recognizes the power of incrementalism in the slow but steady march to equality, I'm used to seeing the forest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-capehart/look-as-an-institutionalist-who-recognizes-the-power-of/) [Jonathan Capehart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-capehart/) > [A hidden spark of the dream sleeps In the forest and waits In the celestial spheres of the brain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dejan-stojanovic/a-hidden-spark-of-the-dream-sleeps-in-the-forest-and-waits-in-the/) [Dejan Stojanovic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dejan-stojanovic/) > [From my perspective, I absolutely believe in a greater spiritual power, far greater than I am, from which I have derived strength in moments…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-goodall/from-my-perspective-i-absolutely-believe-in-a-greater-spiritual-power/) [Jane Goodall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-goodall/) [Browse all 598 Forest quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forest/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Cutting down a forest for timber adds to GDP, but what we don't record is the loss to our wealth in terms of natural resources.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Winnie Byanyima" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winnie-byanyima/cutting-down-a-forest-for-timber-adds-to-gdp-but-what-we-don-t-record/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Forest" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winnie-byanyima/cutting-down-a-forest-for-timber-adds-to-gdp-but-what-we-don-t-record/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bc4/winnie-byanyima-4582_forest_cutting-down-a-forest-for-timber-adds-to_1200046.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bc4/winnie-byanyima-4582_forest_cutting-down-a-forest-for-timber-adds-to_1200046.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bc4/winnie-byanyima-4582_forest_cutting-down-a-forest-for-timber-adds-to_1200046.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Cutting down a forest for timber adds to GDP, but what we don't record is the loss to our wealth in terms of…” — Winnie Byanyima", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Winnie Byanyima", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winnie-byanyima/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Cutting down a forest for timber...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winnie-byanyima/cutting-down-a-forest-for-timber-adds-to-gdp-but-what-we-don-t-record/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winnie-byanyima/cutting-down-a-forest-for-timber-adds-to-gdp-but-what-we-don-t-record/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```