Earth Has More Trees Now Than 35 Years Ago—But Tropical Forests Are Vanishing
The Planet Now Has More Trees Than It Did 35 Years Ago
A new study in Nature reveals that global tree cover increased by 2.24 million square kilometers since 1982—an area the size of Texas and Alaska combined—thanks to regrowth in temperate regions and massive planting in China. But the satellite data also shows severe losses in tropical forests, with Brazil losing more than the next four countries combined. The findings challenge FAO's deforestation estimates, highlighting the crucial difference between tree cover and natural forest.
A global net gain in tree canopy contradicts current understanding of long-term forest area change.