Why are they disappearing?
Despite their immense value, nearly half of the world’s forests have been lost. What’s worse, we’re cutting them down at greater rates each year to plant crops, graze cattle and generate income from timber and other forest products — resulting in a net annual loss of 10 billion trees, or an area the size of Panama. At the current rate of deforestation, the world’s rainforests in particular could completely vanish in a hundred years.
Over hundreds of millions of years, forests have perfected the ability to capture carbon dioxide, including much of the extra carbon generated by human activities. When forests are cleared, however, they emit carbon back into the atmosphere, placing humanity on a dangerous collision course with the worst effects of climate change. About 11% of human-caused greenhouse gases comes from the cutting and burning of tropical forests — comparable to the emissions from all of the cars and trucks on Earth combined.
Forests are more than just a collection of trees — they are integrated ecosystems home to some of Earth’s most diverse life. A 2015 study found that for every 10% of forest loss in the Amazon, one to two major species are wiped out — and when those trees are felled in an area with only 43% of forest cover, the number of lost species jumps to eight. Unless urgent action is taken, some areas may suffer the loss of up to 44% of their species by 2030.
For nearly 30 years, we have helped to protect nearly 40 million hectares (154,000 square miles) of the world’s most important forests — an area larger than the state of Montana. We also recognize, however, that protected areas aren’t enough — that’s why we conduct science that helps us better understand the economic value of forests, work with communities to test new ways of conservation that provide more benefits to people, and support governments to promote sustainable forest management.
