Dude, Where Are My Forests?

Countries continue to lose more trees than they regenerate. Global forest cover stands at approximately half the original extent of 8,000 years ago. According to the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization, an average of 9.4 million hectares of forest (roughly the size of Portugal) was lost annually during the 1990s. Africa and the Caribbean had the highest rates of deforestation, each losing 0.8 percent of total forested area per year. Major logging countries also suffer from rapid deforestation: Indonesia loses nearly 2 million hectares of forest annually, while Brazil lost 2.3 million hectares of Amazon forest between August 2002 and 2003.

Deforestation remains a serious issue globally, since forests are crucial in regulating the planet's carbon and hydrological flows and provide a host of local environmental services. Land use changes—primarily deforestation—accounted for an estimated one-third of global carbon emissions between 1850 and 1998.

Vital Signs
Purchase a print version or electronic PDF of Vital Signs 2005.

References
"Forest Loss Continues," in Vital Signs 2005, pp. 92-93

Links
UN Food and Agriculture Organization, http://www.fao.org/