All the conversation about tree poison and how it should work is driving me nuts. The core problem is not the mechanics of the balance of tree poison. (There is a minor problem there, not a major one.) The core problem is that projects are poorly designed. For example, if there were no projects, there is no use for dirt.
(It did seem that Briar was killing trees for sport, regardless of what the story is now, but that's a separate problem from the tree-lumber-dirt tension.)
Some of the many problems with projects:
1. Massive amounts of raw (and rare) materials are required. (As others have mentioned, this didn't used to be the case.)
2. Project contributors are competing with each other.
There are many problems with projects, but I am trying to avoid writing a lengthy post here, and I think these are the two primary problems. Some thoughts about them:
1. Getting rewarded for dumping in things seems dopey, unless they are the results of layers of production. (E.g., cooked foods would be way better; ingots are only slightly better because few raw materials go in.)
2. The emphasis on rare materials is creating all sorts of tension among players. So cut it out.
3. Why the hell are we competing in what's supposed to be collaborative work? Take the competition out of it.
4. I wonder if projects should require specific levels of skills BUT NO HIGHER, e.g., Cheffery 1, but if you have Cheffery 2 or Cheffery 3, you can't help with that piece.
5. Hah, and I am now imagining a scavenger hunt sort of thing. Instead of needing 500 dirts, you need one each of 200 different things. In order to participate, you have to complete the scavenger hunt.
I hate projects, and think they should be redesigned from the ground up. But those are some brief thoughts.