The United States has witnessed a significant shift in its tree cover landscape, with recent data revealing a net loss of 3,485,991.38 hectares, marking a -1.23% change. Over the years, forestry activities have been the predominant driver of tree cover loss, accounting for a substantial portion of the total hectares lost. Wildfires, too, have played a critical role, particularly in regions like California, where the latest incident data reports a new fire alert.
Urbanization has also contributed to the change in tree cover, although to a lesser extent than forestry and wildfires. The cumulative effect of these factors has led to a complex environmental challenge. The net change in tree cover reflects both losses and gains, with the total area of stable tree cover standing at 237,725,811.80 hectares. However, the loss outweighs the gain, with 17,472,750.87 hectares lost and only 13,986,759.49 hectares gained.
Explore country profileThe impact of these changes is multifaceted, affecting not only the carbon cycle and biodiversity but also human communities and the overall health of ecosystems. As the United States continues to face these environmental shifts, the data underscores the importance of sustainable land management and the need for strategies to mitigate the effects of wildfires and urbanization.
