European forests

There has been an extensive loss of the forests that covered Europe since the early post-glacial period 10,000 years ago, when an estimated 80 to 90 percent of European land was heavily wooded.

Deforestation was partly a consequence of changing climatic conditions but mainly the result of human activities like land clearance for farming and logging for fuel, construction, shipping and mining.

The first important deforestation period in Europe took place during the Roman era, but the largest interval ever in Central Europe occurred in the Middle Ages. Nevertheless vast primary forests were still present In Central and Eastern Europe until the 20th century.

Today, forests cover about 312 million hectares, which is 33 percent of Europe. Half of that territory is located in the European part of Russia. This percentage ranges from six percent in Ireland to up to 66 percent in Finland.

Only one percent of Europe's forests remain essentially untouched by humans and are still in their original, natural state. Most of these forests are in Russia.

Although nearly every European forest has been affected by human civilisation, changes have not necessarily been for the worse. Forests are still one area of Europe's environment where human impact has been relatively slight and natural values dominate.

European forests and forestry