You don’t just have access to several types of woods but also a variety of minerals.
The most common resource you will find is stone. You can collect stones basically everywhere and you need them for many things, however it isn't as important as wood.
Another resource is clay, it can be found near flowing water and muddy places. Clay is crucial in steel and charcoal production, the backbones of smithing.
Because deposits you may encounter vary in size the basic requirement to mine them also varies. Better tools are imperative to gain materials from larger deposits. Here’s where iron, the precious metal ore, comes in. You will need iron in ample amounts to produce better quality tools and weapons. You can improve your iron production by building a structure to process mined ore. Only then your villagers will happily take the burden off you.
You may also collect a mysterious resource (one that everyone loves) and store it. Guess what it will be?