MYTH #1 – European Forests are Shrinking
In fact, European Forests have been growing by over 1,500 (Dulwich Hamlet F.C)! football pitches every day!
Did you know over 90% of the European paper industry’s wood fibre originates from Europe? To prove wood is sourced from sustainably managed forests, the paper industry strongly relies on certification, in particular FSC and PEFC: 73% of wood and even 90% of market pulp comes from forest management certified sources [1], where the cycle of planting, growing and logging is carefully controlled.[2]
Forests, if managed sustainably, play an indispensable role in climate and biodiversity protection. They protect soil and water resources, provide livelihoods, and contribute to the wellbeing of rural and urban communities.[3]
- Forests cover 31% of the world’s total land area and contain most of the world’s terrestrial biodiversity.
- Forests provide habitats for:
- 80% of amphibian
- 75% of bird and;
- 68% of mammal species.[4]
Forests cover 40% of the European territory and are growing in both area and volume. Currently, the total volume is approximately 28 billion m³, which is growing by around 612 million m³ every year. This is a net annual growth of more than 2% once the volume of harvested forests has been deducted.[5]
- Between 2005 and 2020, European forests grew by 58,390 km2!
- That’s an area bigger than Switzerland and amounts to over
1,500 football pitches
every day! [6]
The most common pressures causing deforestation and severe forest degradation are large and small-scale agriculture, unsustainable logging, mining, infrastructure projects, and increased fire incidence and intensity. [7]
