Deforestation · 2001–2025
Deforestation in Israel
Since 2001, Israel has lost about 3,110 hectares of forest (about 4,400 football pitches): 11% of the forest it had in 2000. The biggest cause was wildfires (47%), after which forest can grow back. About 1,000 hectares (32%) was deforestation: forest cleared for good for farms, mines or towns.
- Forest in 2000
- 29,600 ha
- Forest lost since 2001
- 3,110 ha11% of it, about 4,400 football pitches
- Cleared for good
- 1,000 hadeforestation, 32% of the loss
- Worst year
- 20111,070 ha lost
Map
Where Israel has lost forest
Every square kilometre of Israel as satellites saw it from 2000 to 2025. Yellow and green were forest; red to white marks where it has been lost since 2001, and when.
- Forest cover in 2000
- 0%25%50%75%100%How much of the land was forest: dark purple had little or none, yellow was dense forest.
- Year the forest was lost
- 200120132025Where forest was cut down, burned or cleared since 2001: red for the early years, through orange, to white for the most recent. Solid where a fifth or more of a place's forest went, fainter where 8% or more did.
- Cities
- The capital (the larger dot) and the biggest cities, to help you find your way.
Year by year
Forest lost in Israel, year by year
Forest loss is speeding up: about 114 hectares a year in 2021–2025, up from 61 hectares a year in 2016–2020. The worst year was 2011, when about 1,070 hectares of forest were lost, mostly to wildfires.
Hectares of forest lost each year
Show the figures as a table
| Year | Cleared for good | Can grow back | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | 91 ha | 51 ha | 142 ha |
| 2002 | 53 ha | 59 ha | 112 ha |
| 2003 | 22 ha | 8 ha | 30 ha |
| 2004 | 37 ha | 29 ha | 66 ha |
| 2005 | 45 ha | 91 ha | 136 ha |
| 2006 | 25 ha | 107 ha | 131 ha |
| 2007 | 31 ha | 17 ha | 48 ha |
| 2008 | 43 ha | 23 ha | 66 ha |
| 2009 | 66 ha | 25 ha | 91 ha |
| 2010 | 40 ha | 48 ha | 88 ha |
| 2011 | 66 ha | 999 ha | 1,070 ha |
| 2012 | 33 ha | 16 ha | 49 ha |
| 2013 | 20 ha | 26 ha | 46 ha |
| 2014 | 36 ha | 88 ha | 124 ha |
| 2015 | 20 ha | 24 ha | 44 ha |
| 2016 | 32 ha | 31 ha | 63 ha |
| 2017 | 40 ha | 62 ha | 102 ha |
| 2018 | 20 ha | 21 ha | 41 ha |
| 2019 | 47 ha | 7 ha | 54 ha |
| 2020 | 40 ha | 7 ha | 46 ha |
| 2021 | 20 ha | 21 ha | 42 ha |
| 2022 | 18 ha | 63 ha | 80 ha |
| 2023 | 49 ha | 12 ha | 61 ha |
| 2024 | 43 ha | 10 ha | 54 ha |
| 2025 | 68 ha | 265 ha | 333 ha |
The satellite method improved in 2011, so compare recent years with each other rather than with the 2000s. Hover over or tap a year for its figures.
Causes
What is causing deforestation in Israel?
- 32%cleared for good (deforestation)
- 62%can grow back (fire, logging, storms)
- 5.3%cause unknown
- Wildfires47% · 1,470 ha
Can grow back. Forest burned. It often grows back, though fire is sometimes used to clear land for good.
- Farms, pasture and plantations20% · 608 ha
Cleared for good. Forest cleared for crops, cattle pasture or tree plantations: the biggest cause of deforestation in the world.
- Logging15% · 479 ha
Can grow back. Trees cut for timber or paper. The land usually stays forest and grows back.
- Towns and roads9.9% · 307 ha
Cleared for good. Forest replaced by houses, buildings and roads.
- Mining and energy2.8% · 89 ha
Cleared for good. Forest cleared for mines, oil and gas, power lines and dams.
- Unknown causes5.2% · 162 ha
Cause unknown. The satellites saw the trees go, but not why.
Causes for 2025 are estimates, based on what caused forest loss in the same places up to 2024.
Is all forest loss deforestation?
No. When forest is cleared for farms, mines or towns, it is gone for good: that is deforestation. When it is logged or burned, it usually grows back. We count both as forest lost, but only the first as deforestation, so a country with a bad fire year isn't shown as clearing its forest for good.
Cities that lost the most forest around them
Forest lost within 10 km of each city centre since 2001.
| City | Forest lost | Share of its forest | Cleared for good |
|---|---|---|---|
| Haifa | 517 ha | 26% | 58 ha |
| Bet Shemesh | 375 ha | 17% | 56 ha |
| Kfar Saba | 81 ha | 22% | 74 ha |
| Netanya | 61 ha | 17% | 55 ha |
| Rishon LeTsiyyon | 31 ha | 19% | 29 ha |
| Reẖovot | 28 ha | 17% | 26 ha |
| Jerusalem | 21 ha | 5% | 7 ha |
| Petaẖ Tiqva | 13 ha | 10% | 8 ha |
| Ashdod | 8 ha | — | 7 ha |
| Tel Aviv | 7 ha | — | 5 ha |
Frequently asked
Questions about deforestation in Israel
How much forest has Israel lost since 2001?
Since 2001, Israel has lost about 3,110 hectares of forest (about 4,400 football pitches): 11% of the forest it had in 2000. The biggest cause was wildfires (47%), after which forest can grow back. About 1,000 hectares (32%) was deforestation: forest cleared for good for farms, mines or towns.
Is deforestation in Israel getting worse?
Forest loss is speeding up: about 114 hectares a year in 2021–2025, up from 61 hectares a year in 2016–2020. These are five-year averages from 2011 on, the years the satellite maps were all made the same way.
What is causing deforestation in Israel?
The main causes of forest loss since 2001 are wildfires (47%), farms, pasture and plantations (20%), logging (15%). About 1,000 hectares was deforestation, meaning forest cleared for good for farms, mines or towns. Causes for 2025 are estimates, based on what caused forest loss in the same places up to 2024.
What was the worst year for forest loss in Israel?
The worst year was 2011, when about 1,070 hectares of forest were lost, mostly to wildfires.
How is forest loss measured?
We use satellite maps from the University of Maryland (Hansen and colleagues) that show, for every 30 × 30 m patch of land on Earth, the year its trees were cut down, burned or died, from 2001 to 2025. We add up those patches in Israel, counting only places that were at least 30% covered by trees in 2000. The cause of each loss comes from a map made by the World Resources Institute and Google DeepMind. All figures are estimates.