Hmm. But in TWFWIF, people from the Ekumen (Hain and Tau Ceti) are horrified by the indigenous populations being held as workers by the colonizers from Earth. And it ends by the Ekumen ruling that everyone from Earth has to leave and the planet will be left alone permanently, except for a few people sometimes coming to communicate with them, if that's okay. Yes, I had to check in the book, it's years since I read it...can't find a quote about the Ekumen having better forest management than the indigenous population, do you have one? I mean, the whole book is basically a pretty heavy-handed "colonialism is bad" parable.

In LHoD, I do think there's a sense that Gethen can learn from the Ekumen, but that Gethen also has things to teach the Ekumen (mind speech). War is a very new thing on Gethen, and was averted and didn't actually take place. And Gethen is explicitly stable when it comes to technology and resources, and only very carefully introduces new technologies when they're sure of the consequences.

Not saying there is nothing to your argument, but I don't think I wholly agree! : )