China's Forests Face Multiple Threats: Wildfires, Agriculture, and Urban Expansion

China's Forests Face Multiple Threats: Wildfires, Agriculture, and Urban Expansion

China's vast forested areas, covering over 162 million hectares, have experienced significant disturbances over the past two decades. The country has seen a net change in tree cover that reflects a dynamic battle between loss and gain, with a net increase of approximately 2.14 million hectares, which is a change rate of nearly 0.96%. However, this positive net change masks the underlying issues of tree cover loss due to various drivers.

Shifting agriculture, forestry activities, wildfires, and urbanization have been the primary drivers of tree cover loss in China. Forestry has been the most significant contributor, accounting for the vast majority of the loss, followed by shifting agriculture and wildfires. In particular, the impact of wildfires has been notable, with tens of thousands of hectares lost annually, contributing to significant CO2 emissions.