A recent incident in Louisiana, USA, has brought attention to the broader issue of tree cover loss across the United States. Over two decades, the country has seen a significant reduction in tree cover due to various factors, including forestry activities, urbanization, and wildfires. The cumulative effect of these incidents has led to a net loss of approximately 1.23% in tree cover, which equates to a reduction of over 3.40 million hectares from the stable tree cover extent.
The data indicates that forestry remains the leading driver of tree cover loss, contributing to the majority of the reduction. Wildfires also pose a significant threat, with incidents such as the latest in Louisiana underscoring the vulnerability of forested areas to such disasters. Urbanization, while accounting for a smaller portion of the loss, continues to impact tree cover as cities and infrastructure expand.
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