In his book "At Home: A Short History of Private Life," Bill Bryson highlights the dramatic decline of Michigan's white pine population since the arrival of colonists. Originally, there were around 170 billion board feet of white pine, which served as a crucial resource for early settlers. However, the exploitation of this resource was so intense that, within just one hundred years, the stock diminished by an astonishing 95 percent.

This rapid deforestation illustrates the broader patterns of resource depletion that often accompany colonization and industrialization. Bryson's account serves as a reminder of the importance of sustainable practices, as the consequences of such environmental loss can be profound and lasting, affecting both ecosystems and human societies.