Tree Cover Loss in Canada
Canada: Tree Cover Loss was 6.23 million hectares in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Tree Cover Loss in Canada, 2001–2025
Source: Global Forest Watch. Tree Cover Loss (Hansen/UMD/Google/USGS/NASA). Measured in hectares.
Analysis
Canada recorded 6.23 million hectares for tree cover loss in 2025.
That represents a change of up 20.5% on the previous year and up 127.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, tree cover loss in Canada peaked at 8.57 million hectares in 2023 and was at its lowest, 1.20 million hectares, in 2020.
That places Canada 1st out of 190 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Tree Cover Loss in Canada, year by year
| Year | hectares | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2001 | 1.36 million hectares | — |
| 2002 | 2.32 million hectares | +70.6% |
| 2003 | 1.61 million hectares | -30.6% |
| 2004 | 2.71 million hectares | +68.4% |
| 2005 | 2.92 million hectares | +7.9% |
| 2006 | 2.41 million hectares | -17.6% |
| 2007 | 2.12 million hectares | -12.0% |
| 2008 | 1.95 million hectares | -8.0% |
| 2009 | 1.55 million hectares | -20.5% |
| 2010 | 2.10 million hectares | +35.8% |
| 2011 | 2.16 million hectares | +2.7% |
| 2012 | 2.55 million hectares | +17.8% |
| 2013 | 2.81 million hectares | +10.3% |
| 2014 | 2.64 million hectares | -5.8% |
| 2015 | 2.73 million hectares | +3.4% |
| 2016 | 2.08 million hectares | -23.7% |
| 2017 | 2.56 million hectares | +22.8% |
| 2018 | 2.14 million hectares | -16.3% |
| 2019 | 2.18 million hectares | +1.5% |
| 2020 | 1.20 million hectares | -45.1% |
| 2021 | 2.52 million hectares | +111.2% |
| 2022 | 2.30 million hectares | -8.9% |
| 2023 | 8.57 million hectares | +272.6% |
| 2024 | 5.17 million hectares | -39.7% |
| 2025 | 6.23 million hectares | +20.5% |
Canada compared with similar countries
- Canada's 6.23 million hectares is above the median for high income countries, which is 8,308 hectares, 749.3× the median. (64 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Tree Cover Loss in Canada changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | +272.6% | 2.30 million hectares | 8.57 million hectares |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 2.10 million hectares | 1.36 million hectares | 2.92 million hectares | 9 |
| 2010s | 2.40 million hectares | 2.08 million hectares | 2.81 million hectares | 10 |
| 2020s | 4.33 million hectares | 1.20 million hectares | 8.57 million hectares | 6 |
Countries ranked near Canada
More agriculture & rural data for Canada
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 31.61 % change on previous year (2022)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.0193 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2022)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 1,092 current US$ per person (2022)
- Rural population, annual growth rate -0.0803 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.1712 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 1.9% (2022)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 1.9% (2022)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 2.9% (2024)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 0.7% (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is tree cover loss in Canada?
- Tree cover loss in Canada was 6.23 million hectares in 2025, according to Global Forest Watch. Tree Cover Loss (Hansen/UMD/Google/USGS/NASA).
- What is the highest tree cover loss recorded in Canada?
- The highest recorded value was 8.57 million hectares in 2023.
- What is the lowest tree cover loss recorded in Canada?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.20 million hectares in 2020.
- How does Canada rank for tree cover loss?
- Canada ranks 1st out of 190 countries with data for 2025.
- Is tree cover loss rising or falling in Canada?
- Over the last ten years it is up 127.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Canada data come from?
- The figures come from Global Forest Watch. Tree Cover Loss (Hansen/UMD/Google/USGS/NASA), published as part of Tree Cover Loss (hectares). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 25 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Shows year-by-year tree cover loss, defined as stand level replacement of vegetation greater than 5 meters, within the selected area. The tree cover loss data set is a collaboration of the University of Maryland, Google, USGS, and NASA, and uses Landsat satellite images to map annual tree cover loss at a 30 × 30 meter resolution. Note that “tree cover loss” is not the same as “deforestation” – tree cover loss includes change in both natural and planted forest, and does not need to be human caused. The data from 2011 onward were produced with an updated methodology that may capture additional loss. Comparisons between the original 2001-2010 data and future years should be performed with caution.