Note that I fundamentally agree with the World Wildlife Fund of Sweden:
“Sweden should follow the examples set by its northern neighbors in developing systems to halt deforestation…Stemming deforestation is one of the most efficient tools we have to slow down climate change.”
– WWF CEO General Lasse Gustavsson
It’s worth noting that deforestation does not equal timber cutting (not even clearcutting counts)
The Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations (FAO) defines deforestation as “the conversion of forest to another land use or the long-term reduction of tree canopy cover below the 10% threshold … Deforestation implies the long-term or permanent loss of forest cover. Such a loss can only be caused and maintained through a continued man-induced or natural perturbation.” (World Forest Resource Assessment in 2000, On Definitions Of Forest And Forest Change). [Italics added]
You can read the full news release here: WWF Sweden.