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Primeval forests go through a natural development cycle that takes around 600 years from the time they emerge in an open area or after a large-scale catastrophe until the last trees collapse again. This applies to European mixed deciduous forests in low-lying areas. Our forests have been used since humans existed. In Europe, it was the first advanced civilizations such as the Romans who destroyed entire forests in the Mediterranean region. In the High Middle Ages, forest destruction was well advanced in large parts of Europe. If coal, petroleum and electricity had not been discovered as alternative energy sources, there would probably be no forests today. With the overexploitation in the 18th century, the first forestry faculties were later founded at universities. Their primary purpose was to secure wood from our forests. The last near-natural forests that had withstood overexploitation were now protected and wood was from then on produced systematically and purposefully. Today we have sufficient forest protection in large parts of Europe. However, with the new goal of securing the demand for wood, our forests were largely converted into monocultures. Today, fast-growing conifers are most in demand for the timber industry. The original, natural development of forests and the need to take this into account in modern forestry have unfortunately only been recognized in the last few decades. This is the challenge we must face if we want to continue to maintain healthy and vital forests in Europe that can produce enough wood to meet ever-increasing demand.