Are there disadvantages to leaving forest/jungle tiles?

I started playing a game with the "automated workers remove features" set so that my forests/jungles won't be removed. Aside from missing out on the production bonus of chopping them down, is there any disadvantage to leaving forest or jungle tiles?

Solution 1:

Forests

It's mostly about what you want your city to get. Is your city already surrounded by hills, giving it ample production? A farm is a good candidate to replace the forest, especially if it's over grasslands. If you need production or want gold, however, leaving the forest in place is a better idea, for either a lumber mill or a trading post.

Regarding forests on hills - it's probably better to replace them with mines. You get a little less food but it's better when you try to focus your city on production. Also the production boost from cutting down a forest is useful in the early game.

Jungles

Jungles are generally a "bad" tile - like tundra - but in my personal opinion, up until the late game it's worth leaving them for the science boost they give once you get a university. Just make sure you leave enough production and food tiles available to the city.

Once your science per turn is in the hundreds, though, you might consider removing them.