Definition of deforestation

Summary

Deforestation (also called forest clearance) is the removal and destruction of a forest or stand of trees from land that is then converted to non-forest use. It can include converting forest land into farms, ranches, or urban areas, and it may occur through both human activities and natural processes. In the provided material, deforestation is defined specifically as the conversion of forest to other land uses, regardless of whether the change is human-induced. This definition is distinct from “forest area net change,” which accounts for both forest losses (deforestation) and forest gains (forest expansion), meaning net change can be positive or negative depending on which dominates.

Key Points

• 1

  Deforestation is the removal and destruction of forests followed by conversion to non-forest land uses.

• 2

  It can involve conversion to agriculture, ranching, or urban development.

• 3

  Deforestation is defined as forest-to-other-land-use conversion regardless of whether it is human-induced.

• 4

  Deforestation is not the same as forest area net change, which includes both losses and gains.