The majority of the archaeological charcoal assemblages reflect the exploitation of wood as an energy source (fuel).
Most of these archaeological sites were already identified in the second half of the 19th century when large parts of the area were almost without vegetation coverage for the effect of sheep breeding and exploitation of wood resources.
Recent methodological developments in dendro-anthracology offer many new techniques to address the historical practices associated with the exploitation of wood as a fuel and to better understand the reciprocal interests of forest landscapes and societies.
There are various reasons for the degradation, including crustaceans and the unregulated exploitation of wood.
The industrial exploitation of wood to obtain cellulose depends mostly on the composition of lignins because lignins determine the rigidity of the wood and the feasibility of cellulose extraction, which are of major concern in the paper and pulp industries.
While the conflict has contributed to deforestation and the destruction of ecosystems, it has also limited the exploitation of resources such as wood, mining, and agribusiness in several rural and difficult to access areas, many of which are characterised by high biodiversity.
The most important anthropogenic alteration of the natural environment was the clearing of forests to establish cropland and pasture, and the exploitation of forests for fuel wood and construction materials.
Excessive exploitation of the forests for their wood has largely turned them into scrub.
Various measures were aimed at preventing both forest over-exploitation and the wasting of wood.
Different measures were aimed at preventing both forest over-exploitation and the wasting of wood (see the above section on the regional setting of the study areas).
Clearly, the over-exploitation of its appreciated wood for manufacturing toys, agricultural tools, furniture and religious statuary, as well as human disturbance that promoted habitat degradation, expansion of agricultural land, deforestation and introduction of aggressive exotic species led this species to becoming almost extinct in some islands (Martín et al. 2008).
