@zachias: the US has regrown natural forest more than the size of France in the last 30-something years. The problem with government programs from left-wing governments like New Zealand, is that you can't indefinitely plant 2-for-1, you'll run out of room, at which point they will invade other habitats with unhealthy trees (which they are already doing today).
In NZ, the 1B tree program has caused exotic trees threatening naturally regenerating bush through wilding invasion, and invaded tussock (natural long and sturdy grass) landscapes too (the landscapes you see in movies like Lord of the Rings).
Included in the species is radiata pine (the main source/type for cheap NZ wood). This is an ecological degradation that has received insufficient attention for too long. In consequence, much regenerating bush is doomed, because poor, left-wing, tree hugging policy.
Trees aren't the answer to everything, most wood in the west already comes from farmed trees (because they're cheaper to grow, cut and process than natural trees), the expensive wood like cedars that does come from natural sources is only in demand due to the very rich, primarily left-wing, people that want to have the 'natural' look to complement their 'green' buildings. But to political simpletons and left-wing city dwellers, planting cheap, invasive trees is the end-all-be-all. Every building you enter that has that 'green' and 'natural' look, the interior of GreenPeace offices for example, uses expensive, high quality, big energy consumption to cut and process "naturally grown wood" instead of cheap farmed pine or high quality plastics.