The UN Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) released the initial findings of a regional assessment of forest cover that highlights a 27.5 million hectare expansion of forested area from 2000 to 2015.
According to the report, the UNECE region accounts for more than 41% of global forest cover and has shown an increase in both in protected forest areas as well as an expansion of payments for ecosystem services (PES).
21 October 2014: The UN Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) released the initial findings of a regional assessment of forest cover that highlights a 27.5 million hectare expansion of forested area from 2000 to 2015. According to the report, the UNECE region accounts for more than 41% of global forest cover and has shown an increase in both in protected forest areas as well as an expansion of payments for ecosystem services (PES).
The assessment notes that, while net forest cover is increasing, in part due to the restoration of forests on agricultural land and afforestation, gross forest cover loss is also observed. The report attributes gross forest cover loss largely to the expansion of urban areas and, in some cases, the construction of large infrastructure.
The preliminary findings of the study will be considered by the UNECE / Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO) Team of Specialists on Monitoring of Forest Management, which will meet from 21-23 October 2014, in Geneva, Switzerland. The full assessment will be released in May 2015 at the eleventh meeting of the UN Forum on Forests (UNFF 11). [UNECE Press Release]