Yeah, I’ve come to realize even in the medieval world, people had a huge impact on the environment even then. Esp. regarding wood. There’s a reason cutting wood and gathering sticks was valuable–people needed daily cooking fires, and heat in the winter.

Add industry, even just smelting iron, bronze, copper, or firing bricks, and that’s an even bigger need for fuel.

I imagine natural game was under similar pressures, which is why people moved to herding/farming instead of relying on hunting and gathering. And game was also affected by trees being cut for industry and fuel.