I believe that is why it has been reset twice, people did just that.
Or the devs made some massive overhaul to the game.
And besides, the inexperienced are the most likely to do the barren wasteland scheme as they don't give a stuff whether or not the world is lost.
"Ohz you can justt regrowth it!1!!" Well guess what, 70% of the time the tree dies before it can be planted.