As a dwarf in Dwarf Fortress, you’ll have to cut down trees for lumber, but most players worry that doing so will lead to permanent deforestation. Do trees grow back in Dwarf Fortress? And if so, can you cut down trees without any worries?
Yes, trees do indeed grow back in Dwarf Fortress. After you’re done chopping down trees, you’ll soon find some saplings taking their place. Those little saplings will soon grow into new trees. But mining under Forests will prevent trees from regrowing.
Today’s guide will answer all of those questions and walk you through the steps to cut down trees.
Where to Farm in Dwarf Fortress?
Do Trees Grow Back in Dwarf Fortress?
Yes, trees grow back on their own, so you don’t need to worry about it. If you mouse over some of the plants, you might even see some saplings already. These saplings will grow into new plants.
Cutting Down Trees in Dwarf Fortress
Since trees grow back on their own, you need to keep an eye on the more forested areas. They can overgrow and hence prevent traders from reaching your Trade Depot. On that note, it doesn’t matter how you cut your trees. Whether you cut down the entire area or one or two, the chances of the trees growing back remain unaffected.
In fact, gathering plants frequently in your tree-growing area is a good idea because not only do you improve your lumbar situation, but you also make room for more trees. The plants can take up space meant for the saplings.
So, if you want to improve tree regrowth, that’s one thing you can do. But make sure you’re not doing that too often either because then the dwarves might flatten some of the saplings.
On the other hand, leaving trees up will slow down growth since there is a maximum density. Moreover, mining in a forested area will prevent new trees from growing. So make sure you leave the surface under the area unmined.
How To Cut Down Trees?
You need to designate which trees need to be cut down. To do so, follow the steps given below.
- Press d for the Designations Menu.
- Next, select it for the Chop Down Trees action.
- Take your cursor to the starting point and then press enter. The green flashing cross symbol indicates that you’re in Selection Mode.
- Then, move the cursor to the opposite side to mark the area and then press enter. All the trunk tiles of the trees inside the rectangle you just marked will be cut down. They’ll be highlighted to show you exactly which one. Moreover, any part of the tree’s trunk can be cut to bring it down.
Once you’ve chosen your trees, any Dwarf with an axe and Wood Cutting labor enabled will get on the job. If your Dwarf has Wood cutting labor enabled but no axe, then they’ll pick one up randomly from a stockpile.
There are no specific axes you need to worry about. Most of the time, the dwarves use battle axes, but creatures large enough with their halberds and great axes can also get the job done.
As the Dwarf is done cutting the tree, the pile of logs will fall in a direction opposite to the cutter. They’re not treated as falling objects, so you don’t need to worry about them hurting someone.
However, if a creature is stuck in the tree, don’t make the mistake of cutting down the Tree. The creature will take on a lot of damage. The best way to go about this is to build a staircase and coax the creature out of the branches.
Can You Plant Trees?
As far as planting trees are concerned, you can’t do that at the moment without mods. So, how do you sustain a flourishing wood industry? Well, tree farming is your answer. Tree farms need an adequate area. Specifically, a tree farm needs to be at least two z-levels tall with a muddy stone or soil floor.
Keep in mind that if you’re an impatient player, you won’t like tree farms. They take time to grow.
Conclusion
In short, trees do grow back. Once cut down, they leave behind saplings that grow into new trees. You can’t plant trees, but you can cut them down. There is no restriction to cutting down trees.
They have nothing to do with tree regrowth rate. Just make sure that you’re gathering plants now and then. Happy farming!