As difficult as it is to imagine today, most of what is now the
"civilized world" was forest land prior to its conversion for human
purposes. Dense strands of ancient Atlas Cedar once blanketed the
now-barren mountains and hills of northern Africa. Cedars of Lebanon,
as well as oak and pine once forested Holy Land and upper drainages
of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers; today these areas are mostly desert
or scrub. The dry, rocky, picturesque hills of Greece, Italy, and
Madeira, now barely productive enough for grape vines, were once
blanketed not only with forests, but with fertile soils.
-- (from review of A Forest Journey by John Perlin)