Where to start…
Disappointing deforestation is inseparable from worldwide population growth. Asymptotic population growth rates drive requirements to feed and house people in numbers beyond sustainable rates for the planet. Huge swaths of the Brazil rainforest now grow the beef in McDonalds hamburgers. And, enter the politicians… (sorry, moderators - politics only to the extent that it drives deforestation, I promise!). As real estate taxes go up, forest ownership becomes more and more non viable. Holding acres of trees can be a money black hole. Many properties have had to be sold off and developed because of tax burdens.
Reforestation Variety ? On our tree farm in Vermont, over the decades we have planted White Pine, Norway Spruce, White Spruce, Sugar Maple, Red Oak, Black Cherry, Black Walnut, Balsam Fir and Douglas Fir. A list of other local species would be prohibitive.
Insects ? Yes, they are part of nature. They are essential to the cycle. But, invasive insect species can and have wiped out whole species of trees. Currently, White Ash (floors, baseball bats and hockey sticks) all over its range from Minnesota to Maine and all the way down the east coast are dead and dying. On our farm we will lose hundreds of huge Ash trees to the Emerald Ash Borer.
Regrowth value ? If you clear a pocket of acreage, removing large valuable trees, and let it regenerate on its own, that pocket of acres will be overrun by rapid growth, low quality trees; Gray Birch, Poplar, Willow, Choke Cherry, Striped Maple, Swamp/Soft Maple. Without management, the establishment of desirable trees will take decades, or more, or never, because of competition with the faster growing varieties. I’ve learned this the hard way.
The decline of availability of some loved tone woods is unlikely to be reversed in the foreseeable future. So far, for the guitar industry, knock on wood, (oops, I guess that might have been a pun too far) Sitka Spruce in Alaska and Sugar (Hard) Maple in Vermont are still healthy and plentiful...