I am a student for Wildlife Biology and am aspiring to be a conservationist in the near future. I have to say, taking dead wood is not a bad thing. When there is room on the forest floor, plant life will quickly take its place and compete for space and light. So taking that stick will allow any seedlings underneath to wake up and sprout, or makes new room for seedlings to land and grow.

As for the chips, just think decomposition and organic matter making all the richer soil.

I see your point, however, where your impact is small, but if everyone did the same thing there would eventually be no berries for birds and animals.