The DRC's vast forested area, which once spanned over 199 million hectares, is now under threat. While there has been some tree cover gain, the pace is not sufficient to offset the losses. The country's net change in tree cover shows a disturbing trend, with a loss that overshadows the gains and disturbances combined.
The impact of these losses extends beyond environmental degradation. It affects the livelihoods of millions of people who depend on the forest for survival and threatens the unique wildlife that calls these forests home. The DRC's deforestation crisis is a call to action for conservation efforts and sustainable management practices to preserve one of the world's largest tropical rainforests.