While many global forest assessments differ in their definitions of forest, methodologies and specific results, the general trend depicts declining and degrading forest ecosystems. Though conversion of the world's natural forests to other land uses has slowed down somewhat compared to earlier decades, fragmentation and biodiversity loss continue.

The following sections provide an overview of the current state of the world's forests and tree-dominated landscapes not only in terms of their physical extent and the quantitative and qualitative changes that they have undergone, but also in terms of the conditions of forest biodiversity and protected areas, and the emergence of plantations and trees outside forests.

Forest Cover and Distribution
Forest Changes 1990-2000 (quantity and quality)
Forest Biodiversity and Protected Areas
Forest Plantations and Trees Outside Forests
Further Resources
References