Tropical Primary Forest Loss Declines Significantly in 2025
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The loss of tropical primary forests fell by 36% in 2025 compared to the previous year's record highs, reaching its lowest non-fire-related level in a decade. An area larger than Switzerland was still lost, however, and the rate remains higher than a decade ago. The data, tracked by researchers and visualized on the Global Forest Watch platform, provides a mixed but hopeful signal toward a global 2030 goal to halt and reverse forest loss.
Facts First
- Tropical primary forest loss fell by 36% in 2025 compared to the previous year's record highs.
- Non-fire forest loss declined by 23% to its lowest level in a decade.
- The tropics still lost 4.3 million hectares of primary forest, an area larger than Switzerland.
- The 2025 loss rate is 46% higher than the loss recorded a decade ago.
- Data is tracked by the University of Maryland’s GLAD laboratory and visualized on the World Resources Institute’s Global Forest Watch platform.
What Happened
According to data from the University of Maryland’s Global Land Analysis and Discovery (GLAD) laboratory, the loss of tropical primary forests in 2025 fell by 36% compared to the record highs of the previous year. Non-fire-related forest loss declined by 23%, reaching its lowest level in a decade. Despite this improvement, the tropics still lost 4.3 million hectares (10.6 million acres) of primary forest in 2025—an area larger than Switzerland. This 2025 loss is 46% higher than the loss recorded a decade ago, and the rate is equivalent to approximately 11 football fields of forest being razed every minute.
Why this Matters to You
The significant decline in forest loss may indicate that global efforts to protect these critical ecosystems are gaining traction, which could help stabilize the climate and protect biodiversity that underpins global food systems and medicine. The continued high rate of loss, however, still contributes to climate change, which may affect weather patterns, agricultural yields, and the frequency of extreme events in your region.
What's Next
The data provides a crucial benchmark for progress toward a global 2030 goal to halt and reverse forest loss. The recent decline suggests this goal may be achievable if current efforts are sustained and scaled. Continued monitoring by the GLAD laboratory and visualization on the World Resources Institute’s (WRI) Global Forest Watch platform will be essential to track whether this positive trend continues.