So.... I live in North Western Wisconsin. For the past 3 weeks I've watched a 35 acre plot of woods, be clear cut, and the stumps pulled out of the ground. The wood has been removed, but the stumps are in wind rows that I expect will be burned in the near future. I've been told by a friend who is a Professor Emeritus of Forestry that this is probably at least a $2,000 per acre effort.
So... they are creating new farm land that didn't exist before. Is this a logical way to create new farm land??? The cost concerns me.