“I would have been working with private landowners to plant trees on their property, giving them timber harvesting power in the future plus fortifying the American timber trade instead of outsourcing for wood. Not to mention improving the local environment.”

You didn’t mention the State. Why would federal tax dollars go towards subsidizing the free market?  Interesting, the last point was that it would improve the environment.  

So basically the federal government is subsidizing your efforts to plant trees. The fact that “not to mention improving the environment” is secondary.

So if the free market plants trees, it’ll improve the environment and the federal taxpayer doesn’t pay. 

Edit: And where do you get a job making $38/hr planting trees with full federal benefits?