I would like to announce that the forest I've been growing to the northwest of town is now serviceable; *would* like to, but someone just cleared out 10%-20% of the saplings, as well as the tree I was getting half of my cones from. The rest of the trees are between the sapling and intermediate stage, and most have been "transplanted" to forest tiles, so the first trees should reach full growth by the end of the week assuming they aren't cut down early.
Anyhow, I'll post this announcement early in the hopes it gets a few townsfolk suspicious of sapling choppers in the area: Feel free to take whatever lumber and game you may find. There is no need to replant what you cut down. I only ask two things: Let the trees grow to their final stage before chopping, and don't replace forest tiles (unless they're overgrowing a road or some such). At an estimated average output of 140 trees per week and growing, I'm hoping I can provide for most of the town's lumber needs (provided sapling choppers don't wreck production). (Again, this is posted early. Trees won't be ready for a couple more days.)
Now a message for any new players (reposted from the official forums): Chopping down trees still in the sapling stage is one of the most shortsighted things you can do. You don't even get lumber from it. Please wait for trees to grow to their final stage before chopping. If you want LP, get pottery, find a clay pit in a mud flats (brown area), and make lots of tea pots, mugs, and the like. You don't even have to burn them in a kiln to get the points.