Q&A: Did fleet rebuilding cause timber shortages?

Did repeated fleet building cause timber shortages, and did Rome manage its forests?

Timber shortages seem to have encouraged woodland management, although it developed slowly and shortages may have contributed to reduced naval construction.

Sustained shipbuilding created a demand for timber that was difficult to maintain. Woodland management appears to have developed in response, although its early effectiveness remains uncertain. Timber supply is one possible reason for a reduction in Roman naval construction. Fleet building expanded again during the civil wars involving Caesar and Pompey, then Augustus and Mark Antony.