High-Resolution Global Maps of 21st-Century Forest Cover Change

TLDR

Quantification of global forest change has been lacking despite the recognized importance of forest ecosystem services. The study aims to map global forest loss and gain from 2000 to 2012 at 30‑meter resolution using Earth observation satellite data. The authors used Earth observation satellite data to produce high‑resolution global maps of forest loss (2.3 million km²) and gain (0.8 million km²) between 2000 and 2012. The maps reveal that tropical forests are the sole climate domain with a rising loss trend of 2,101 km² per year, while Brazil’s deforestation decline is counterbalanced by gains in Indonesia, Malaysia, Paraguay, Bolivia, Zambia, Angola, and other regions, with intensive subtropical forestry driving the highest change rates and boreal loss second, illustrating a globally consistent yet locally nuanced forest change record.

Abstract

Quantification of global forest change has been lacking despite the recognized importance of forest ecosystem services. In this study, Earth observation satellite data were used to map global forest loss (2.3 million square kilometers) and gain (0.8 million square kilometers) from 2000 to 2012 at a spatial resolution of 30 meters. The tropics were the only climate domain to exhibit a trend, with forest loss increasing by 2101 square kilometers per year. Brazil's well-documented reduction in deforestation was offset by increasing forest loss in Indonesia, Malaysia, Paraguay, Bolivia, Zambia, Angola, and elsewhere. Intensive forestry practiced within subtropical forests resulted in the highest rates of forest change globally. Boreal forest loss due largely to fire and forestry was second to that in the tropics in absolute and proportional terms. These results depict a globally consistent and locally relevant record of forest change.