I think for realism and fun, you should increase the number of sticks dropped and decrease the amount of saplings.
In minecraft, basically the only method of getting sticks is via crafting. Getting sticks from where sticks come from could be fun, especially if leaves become insta-break early on in progression. If there is ever multiple tiers of stick, make sure each is crafted with a normal stick.
#Leaf Drop Fixes
stable kindle
devout barn
wdym multiple tiers of stick