how were the forests affected during the wars?

The two World Wars had a significant impact on environment as they contributed to deforestation. Trees were cut down to meet the requirements of the British war effort. In Java, due to the scorched earth policy of the Dutch, sawmills were destroyed and huge piles of teak logs were burnt to prevent them from falling into Japanese hands. The Japanese also exploited the forests to meet their war requirements. Villagers used this opportunity to expand their area of cultivation into forests.