If you want to cut trees faster just know what axe to use and when.

When you are in a big wooded area with lots of dense trees. And use your 2 handed axe. Your swings become really really wide and can hit a lot of trees at the same time doing three times the work of the regular axe. Specially when 3 trees fall in the dark forest biomes that they often bring down much more.

Meaning that you just saved your self a lot of time, And saved a lot of durability on your axe as your trees did allthe work.

"Efficiency FTW"

And elder too as mentioned above. For when you just want fast wood to make defenses or other high expense craft jobs.