For example, Ellis et al. Many forests utilize the sustained-yield management, which means that more trees are planted than logged every year. Since 2016, an average of 28 million hectares have been cut down every year. Lets put some numbers to them. This rapid swapping of green for gray is harmful to the people living in these spaces, and it sets cities up for long-term environmental decline, according to the scientists. (2012) gathered this data from a range of sources including country submissions as part of their REDD+ readiness activities, Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR) country profiles, UNFCCC national communications and scientific studies. But the solution is not so simple. On the horizontal axis we have time, spanning from 1700 to 2020; on the vertical axis we have the decadal change in forest cover. [2] Only 36% of the world's rainforests remain intact. As we covered in a previous article, 60% of tropical deforestation is driven by beef, soybean and palm oil production. Increasing human dominance of tropical forests. In the coming decades this is where we might expect to see the most rapid loss of forests unless these countries take action to prevent it, and the world supports them in the goal. Forest degradation measures a thinning of the canopy a reduction in the density of trees in the area but without a change in land use. If we look at where countries are in their transition today we can understand where we expect to lose and gain forest in the coming decades. Americans cut down 15,094,678 Christmas trees in 2017, according to the most recent year of data from the U.S. Agriculture Department. People cut down 15 billion trees each year and the global tree count has fallen by 46% since the beginning of human civilization. And its not just in forests eitherits also happening on farms, in cities, and on private property. International trade plays an important role in this growth, and may allow farmers to see the yield gains they need to produce more food using less land. Tropical forests are also large carbon sinks, and can store a lot of carbon per unit area.26. Nature, 536(7615), 143. Thats one football field of forest lost every single second around the clock. This helps consumers understand what products they should be concerned about, but also allows us to target specific supply chains. Humans have already destroyed around 46% of the trees on Earth. It was predominantly temperate forests that were being lost at this time. are added every year. Deforesting the earth: from prehistory to global crisis. According to CNN, each year over 1,000 plants and animal species go extinct due to deforestation and subsequent habitat loss. It would be good if there was data available that would capture these additional aspects. Our World In Data is a project of the Global Change Data Lab, a registered charity in England and Wales (Charity Number 1186433). How many trees have been cut down? This was first coined by Alexander Mather in the 1990s.Mather, A. S. (1990). Given the current estimate of the total tree cover on the planet, that could equate to about 0.11% of trees being cut each year. (2020).References:FAO and UNEP. Forests: this data is primarily sourced from the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). If we can take advantage of these innovations, we can bring deforestation to an end. Approximately 3.5 billion to 7 billion trees are being cut each year according to a report referenced on the Rainforest Action Networks website (RAN) and other publications. Are they causing more deforestation elsewhere than they are regenerating in forests at home? On the x-axis we have imported deforestation. What if this deforestation is being driven by consumers elsewhere? When we treat these impacts equally we make it difficult to prioritize our efforts in the fight against deforestation. Web3.5 billion to 7 billion trees are cut down per year. But it was then that England reached its transition point and since then, forests have doubled in size. Then things started to speed up. This is measured in hectares, which is equivalent to 10,000 m. If we want to end deforestation we need to understand where and why its happening; where countries are within their transition; and what can be done to accelerate their progress through it. Approximately 3.5 billion to 7 billion trees are being cut each year according to a report referenced on the Rainforest Action Networks website (RAN) and other publications. Not all forest is equal. We then get high-income countries share of deforestation as: [40% of the 29% that is traded], which is equal to 12%. As of 2020, the UN estimates the planet is losing over 7,000,000 hectares per year to deforestation.27Between 1990 and 2015, the world lost 129 million hectares of forest an area about the size of South Africa.11 Natural forests lost by continent9include: Africa 3.2 million hectares Since then, deforestation rates have steadily declined, to 78 million hectares in the 1990s; 52 million in the early 2000s; and 47 million in the last decade. However, most align on the relative change in forests over this period. The research says 15.3 billion trees are chopped down every year. In the map we see the net deforestation embedded in trade for each country. This rapid swapping of green for gray is harmful to the people living in these spaces, and it sets cities up for long-term environmental decline, according to the scientists. Countries such as Indonesia, Myanmar, and the Democratic Republic of Congo are in the early transition phase and are losing forests quickly. The amount of land per person that was needed to produce enough food was not small in fact, it was much larger than today. Rural Sociology, 63(4), 533-552. Across temperate forests the world gained 6 million hectares in the last decade. The world loses 5 million hectares of forest to deforestation each year. It results in a permanent conversion of forest into an alternative land use. Trends in Ecology & Evolution, 27(9), 501-510. The study also finds that human activity negatively affects tree abundance from the boreal forests to the equator. It assumes the impact of clearing primary rainforest in the Amazon to produce soybeans is the same as logging planted forests in the UK. Cutting them down disrupts or destroys established, species-rich ecosystems. Countries with a positive change (shown in green) are regrowing forest faster than theyre losing it. Deforestation tends to occur on forests that have been around for centuries, if not millennia. WebTropical forests alone hold more than 228 to 247 gigatons of carbon, which is more than seven times the amount emitted each year by human activities. How many trees are cut down each year? According to the Environmental Paper Network, an estimated 30% of felled trees are used for paper products. Agricultural and forestry trade drives large share of tropical deforestation emissions. For example, the US imported 64,000 hectares of deforested land, but increased its domestic forest area by 275,000 hectares. Rudel, T. K. (1998). Maxwell, S. L., Fuller, R. A., Brooks, T. M., & Watson, J. E. (2016). Hence, we should keep in mind that forest area is not the only aspect that matters where that forest is and how rich in life it is matters too. The United States is the worlds largest consumer (and second largest producer, after Canada) of forest products. Why? In their analysis of global forest loss, Philip Curtis and colleagues used satellite images to assess where and why the world lost forests between 2001 and 2015. Forest loss measures the net change in forest cover: the loss in forests due to deforestation plus any expansion of forest through afforestation.6. Humanitys biggest footprint is due to what we eat, not where we live. How many trees are chopped down for Christmas? Since 1961, the amount of land we use for agriculture increased by only 7%. Mapping tree density at a global scale. 38. This rapid swapping of green for gray is harmful to the people living in these spaces, and it sets cities up for long-term environmental decline, according to the scientists. Environmental Research Letters, 7(4), 044009. Brazil, for example, went through a period of very rapid deforestation in the 1980s and 90s (its early transition phase) but its losses have slowed, meaning it is now in the late transition. By 1900, there were 1.65 billion people in the world (five times fewer than we have today) but for most of the previous period, humans were deforesting the world with only tens or hundreds of millions. Countries that lie along this line would have a net-neutral impact on global forests: the area they are causing to deforestation overseas is exactly as large as the area they are regrowing at home. Why should we care most about tropical deforestation? Imagine over 100 large harvesters working non-stop. The UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Forest Resources Assessment estimates global deforestation, averaged over the five-year period from 2015 to 2020 was 10 million hectares per year. Stage 2 The Early Transition phase is when countries start to lose forests very rapidly. It provides long-term estimates on forest cover in 10,000 and 5,000 years BP. As of 2020, the UN estimates the planet is losing over 7,000,000 hectares per year to deforestation.27Between 1990 and 2015, the world lost 129 million hectares of forest an area about the size of South Africa.11 Natural forests lost by continent9include: Africa 3.2 million hectares Thats an area 1.5-times the size of the United States. Global Environmental Change, 56, 1-10. We need more fuelwood to cook, more houses to live in, and importantly, more food to eat. In China, the biggest driver is demand for oilseeds which is the combination of soy imported from Latin America and palm oil, imported from Indonesia and Malaysia. As mentioned above, about 15 billion trees are cut down each year. Improvements in agricultural productivity tends to both drive and follow economic growth. The rate of deforestation is declining, but we still lost forests at a whopping 10 million hectares per year between 2015-2020. Humans have already destroyed around 46% of the trees on Earth. Science, 349(6250), 827-832.Williams, D. R., Clark, M., Buchanan, G. M., Ficetola, G. F., Rondinini, C., & Tilman, D. (2020). Approximately 3.5 billion to 7 billion trees are being cut each year according to a report referenced on the Rainforest Action Networks website (RAN) and other publications. 38. The researchers found that 36 million trees are cut down in urban areas each year, and 167,000 acres of impervious areas (concrete, asphalt, etc.) How many trees are cut down each year in the Amazon rainforest? Anthropogenic Biomes: 10,000 BCE to 2015 CE. This is true for some problems, such as climate change. As to the number of trees this represents, its impossible to get an accurate count. Across the US and Europe the breakdown of products is more varied. The changes to the forest are often temporary and its expected that they will regrow. Africa is also an outlier as a result of how many people still rely on wood as their primary energy source. At the end of this stage, countries are approaching the transition point. It might seem odd to argue that we should focus our efforts on tackling this quarter of forest loss (rather than the other 73%). Tree density in primary forests varies from 50,000-100,000 trees per square km, so the math would put this number at 3.5 billion to 7 billion trees cut down each year. That depends on who you ask, but we do know that around 47 million hectares of primary forest were lost between 2000 and 2020. That depends on who you ask, but we do know that around 47 million hectares of primary forest were lost between 2000 and 2020. Imagine over 100 large harvesters working non-stop. But the magnitude of these impacts are often less than the complete conversion of forest. 27% of forest loss results from commodity-driven deforestation cutting down forests to grow crops such as soy, palm oil, cocoa, to raise livestock on pasture, and mining operations. Rather than looking at total figures by country [if youre interested, we have mapped them here] we have calculated the per capita footprint. Several studies have assessed the stage of countries across the world.17 The most recent analysis to date was published by Florence Pendrill and colleagues (2019) which looked at each countrys stage in the transition, the drivers of deforestation but also the role of international trade.18 To do this, they used the standard metrics discussed in our theory of forest transitions earlier: the share of land that is forested, and the annual change in forest cover. Since the end of the last great ice age 10,000 years ago the world has lost one-third of its forests.5 Two billion hectares of forest an area twice the size of the United States has been cleared to grow crops, raise livestock, and use for fuelwood. We therefore look at them both individually in more detail, to better understand what we can do about it. One of the reasons poorer countries clear forest to make room for farmland is that they achieve low crop yields. This is calculated by taking each countrys imported deforestation and subtracting its exported deforestation. How Many Trees are Cut down for Paper Each Year . Imagine some temperate country was responsible for the deforestation of 25,000 hectares in tropical countries but was restoring its own forests at a rate of 50,000 hectares per year. How many trees does IKEA cut down a But distilling changes to this single metric tree or forest loss comes with its own issues. Another way that richer countries can contribute is by investing in technologies such as improved seed varieties, fertilizers and agricultural practices that allow farmers to increase yields. To investigate this question, researchers Florence Pendrill et al. By Georgina Rannard. What are the major impacts of mass deforestation and forest loss? Nicolas-Jacques Cont, an officer in Napoleon's army, invented the modern pencil by combining graphite and clay for lead durability. Growing all those trees requires about 19.7 square miles of land. How many trees have been cut down? How Many Acres of Trees Are Cut Down Each Year? Forest loss or tree loss captures two fundamental impacts on forest cover: deforestation and forest degradation. By the 19th century the forest area was reduced to a third of what it once was. You will notice in the chart that this was not only expanding into previously forested land, but also other land uses such as wild grasslands and shrubbery. This interactive map shows deforestation rates across the world. This number comes from the World Bank, which estimates that there are 3 trillion trees on the planet. Because people are starting to see how climate change affects trees. The study also finds that human activity negatively affects tree abundance from the boreal forests to the equator. Environmental Research Letters, 7(4), 044009. Today, most deforestation occurs in the tropics. Low agricultural productivity and a reliance on wood for fuel meant that large amounts of land had to be cleared for basic provisions. Healthy communities: Tree-filled neighborhoods lower levels of domestic violence and are safer and more sociable. But there are real reasons to believe that this century doesnt have to replicate the destruction of the last one. Today, only 4 billion hectares are left. The scale of deforestation today might give us little hope for protecting our diverse forests. University of Chicago Press. How many trees does IKEA cut down a And its not just in forests eitherits also happening on farms, in cities, and on private property. Science Advances, 3(4), e1601047. Tropical forests are often more productive than temperate forests, meaning they store more carbon. We see massive differences in how important each driver is across the world. Thats one football field of forest lost every single second around the clock. If you struggle to increase crop yields but want to produce more food, then expanding your agricultural land is the only option. Around half of this deforestation is offset by regrowing forests, so overall we lose around five million hectares each year. High-income countries were the largest importers of deforestation, accounting for 40% of it. Urbanization, the other driver of deforestation accounts for just 0.6%. A new study published in Nature estimates the planet has 3.04 trillion trees. The Earth System (Vol. Shifting agriculture is usually classified as degradation because the land is often abandoned and the forests regrow naturally. We can calculate this increase as [(7.63 billion 3.09 billion) / 3.09 billion * 100 = 147%]. Stage 4 The Post-Transition phase is when countries have passed the transition point and are now gaining forest again. With increasing development, urbanization and access to other energy resources, Africa will shift from local, subsistence activities into commercial commodity production both in agricultural products and timber extraction. [4] Forests cover 4.06 billion hectares (just less than 31%) of The first step in doing this is for rich countries to monitor their deforestation impacts overseas more closely. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 361(1465), 195-210. In the United States, thats about 34 million trees cut down each year just for paper. How Many Acres of Trees Are Cut Down Each Year? A study published on September 2, 2015 in the journal Nature suggests these answers: 3 trillion and 15.3 billion. Licenses: All visualizations, data, and articles produced by Our World in Data are open access under the Creative Commons BY license. They first lose lots of forest, but reach a turning point and begin to regain it again. By combining our earlier Sankey diagram, and breakdown of emissions by product, we can see that we can tackle a large share of these emissions through only a few key trade flows. First, it reiterates that deforestation is not a new problem: relatively small populations of the past were capable of driving a large amount of forest loss. If we fast-forward to 1700 when the global population had increased more than ten-fold, to 603 million. But forest cover increases through reforestation. An assessment of deforestation and forest degradation drivers in developing countries. How Many Acres of Trees Are Cut Down Each Year? They should keep their domestic reforestation targets in perspective with their net impact on global forests. The United States is the worlds largest consumer (and second largest producer, after Canada) of forest products. The United Nations, as well as experts at the World Wildlife Fund and Global Forest Watch, found that one million animals are in danger of extinction as a result of how much deforestation has occurred. Tropical forests are home to some of the richest and most diverse ecosystems on the planet. Noriko Hosonuma et al. Rudel, T. K., Coomes, O. T., Moran, E., Achard, F., Angelsen, A., Xu, J., & Lambin, E. (2005). (2018), published in Science.20, Commodity-driven deforestation and urbanization are deforestation: the forested land is completely cleared and converted into another land use a farm, mining site, or city. But, understanding the role of deforestation in the products we buy is important. Hosonuma et al. But, supply chains are international. Them both individually in more detail, to better understand what products they should keep their domestic reforestation targets perspective. 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