However, protecting forests may be a rather complicated process than telling people not to cut trees down. Indeed, forests play an integral role in food security, economic activities, biodiversity, water and climate change. Consequently, protection of forests means taking into account the root causes of their exploitation by people.
According to the Global Forest Resources Assessment 2025 by the FAO, forests cover 4.14 billion hectares, which constitutes 32% of the total land area. It seems that the situation has improved because the rate of deforestation worldwide decreased. According to the estimates of the FAO, the annual rate of deforestation decreased from 17.6 million hectares in 1990-2000 to 10.9 million hectares in 2015-2025.
However, this does not mean that there is no problem at all. Forest conversion and degradation as well as the decline in naturally regenerating forests have been observed since 1990.
To me, this clearly illustrates the necessity to celebrate the achievements while realizing that the battle is not yet won.
Something that I value greatly is the fact that not all forests are created equally. It helps if people plant trees but a new forest plantation does not automatically equal to an old and naturally created forest.
FAO states that naturally regenerated forests account for about 92% of global forested area and primary forests cover at least 1.18 billion hectares. The destruction of primary forests continues, however, at a slower pace than before.
Moreover, forests serve as biodiversity habitats and maintain water and carbon cycles. FAO suggests that forests are the net sink for carbon during 2021-2025, removing around 3.6 billion tons of CO2 annually on forest land.
That is why I do not think that the protection of forests is to be limited to planting as many trees as one can.
Restoration of degraded areas is definitely important but the preservation of natural forests is equally important.
The difference between growing some trees and maintaining an entire ecosystem is tremendous.
There are already forest protection measures being implemented. The FAO estimates that some 20% of the world’s forested area is comprised of officially designated protected areas encompassing 813 million hectares. Some 61% of global forests also have medium- to long-term management regimes in place.
But just because something is written into law doesn’t mean it gets enforced. Forests rely on legal protection, enforcement, land management, local communities, economic considerations and cooperation on an international level.
It seems to me that people often consider deforestation a problem only the government and environmental agencies can deal with. Governments do play a large part, but there is also a connection to agriculture, supply chains, consumption and land management.
The good news is that the worldwide rate of deforestation has been decreasing, according to the most recent estimate by the FAO.
Therefore, the situation cannot be considered hopeless.
On the other hand, it is far from being solved either.
For me, the task is preserving existing forests while providing ways for people to get what they need without damaging natural ecosystems.
