Source: National Geographic
Since 2001, the region that has experienced the greatest loss of forest is South America, with countries like Brazil, Colombia and Peru experiencing more deforestation than any other place in the world, according to World Resources Institute.
In 2016 and 2017, a mass amount of forest loss was due to wildfires, but clear cutting was the leading cause of forest loss overall, according to data from Global Forest Watch.
In many cases, clear cutting made room for ranching, but in other cases was done for commercial activity, like mining.
In 2018 alone, more than 30 million acres of forest were lost around the globe, and the numbers keep growing. Forests are essential to the environment and are particularly important in fighting global warming and in preserving unique ecosystems.
Read Full Story: National Geographic