The United States has faced significant environmental challenges over the past two decades, with a notable impact on its tree cover. Despite an extensive area of over 947 million hectares, the country has experienced a net loss in tree cover. The total tree cover extent, which stands at approximately 279 million hectares, has seen a net change of -1.23%, equating to a loss of around 17.47 million hectares and a gain of about 13.99 million hectares.
Forestry activities have been the predominant driver of tree cover loss, accounting for a substantial portion of the total loss each year. Wildfires have also played a significant role, with incidents such as the recent fire in Idaho, USA, highlighting the ongoing threat to forested areas. Urbanization, while contributing to the loss, has had a less significant impact compared to other factors.
Explore country profileThe data reveals a concerning trend of increasing tree cover loss over time. The year 2022 alone saw over 2.20 million hectares of tree cover loss, with forestry and wildfires being the leading causes. This trend underscores the importance of addressing the drivers of deforestation and forest degradation to ensure the stability and health of the United States' tree cover for future generations.
