The Dominican Republic, with an area of approximately 4.80 million hectares, has experienced significant tree cover loss over the past two decades. The country's tree cover extent, which stands at over 2.50 million hectares, has seen a net change in tree cover characterized by a loss of 122,957 hectares and a gain of 54,805 hectares, resulting in a net loss of 68,152 hectares. This equates to a 2.54% decrease in tree cover from the stable extent.
Shifting agriculture has been the predominant driver of tree cover loss, accounting for a substantial portion of the deforestation. Urbanization, while contributing to a lesser extent, has also played a role in the reduction of tree cover. Notably, the data does not specify the impact of wildfires on tree cover loss, although a recent fire incident was reported in the San Juan Province on August 29, 2024.
Explore country profileThe cumulative impact of these losses on the environment is significant, with millions of metric tons of CO2 equivalent emissions associated with the tree cover loss. The country's struggle with maintaining its tree cover is reflected in the ongoing incidents and the overall trend of deforestation, which poses a challenge for environmental sustainability in the Dominican Republic.
