I think the next update will solve a lot of problems. I haven't opened the forest location yet. In the future we will need to defend the forest like we defend the village wall. I'm thinking of adding different siege tools to use in the jungle. Also, small bonuses would be nice, such as the ability to go through the jungle during the day and collect food or find hidden coins.
The choices you make in the first season will never be in vain. If you mention the choices you made in the first season in the conversation with Peter, you will understand how they affect the story in the future. I'll let you see that in the next story update...