Deforestation · 2001–2025
Deforestation in Slovenia
Since 2001, Slovenia has lost about 66,600 hectares of forest (about 93,000 football pitches): 5% of the forest it had in 2000. Most of it was lost to logging, so much of it can grow back. About 4,880 hectares (7.3%) was deforestation: forest cleared for good for farms, mines or towns.
- Forest in 2000
- 1.32 million ha
- Forest lost since 2001
- 66,600 ha5% of it, about 93,000 football pitches
- Cleared for good
- 4,880 hadeforestation, 7.3% of the loss
- Worst year
- 20188,240 ha lost
Map
Where Slovenia has lost forest
Every square kilometre of Slovenia 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 Slovenia, year by year
Forest loss is slowing down: about 3,430 hectares a year in 2021–2025, down from 5,230 hectares a year in 2016–2020. The worst year was 2018, when about 8,240 hectares of forest were lost.
Hectares of forest lost each year
Show the figures as a table
| Year | Cleared for good | Can grow back | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | 114 ha | 507 ha | 621 ha |
| 2002 | 120 ha | 612 ha | 732 ha |
| 2003 | 99 ha | 435 ha | 534 ha |
| 2004 | 171 ha | 1,120 ha | 1,290 ha |
| 2005 | 344 ha | 1,620 ha | 1,970 ha |
| 2006 | 237 ha | 1,030 ha | 1,270 ha |
| 2007 | 359 ha | 1,750 ha | 2,110 ha |
| 2008 | 332 ha | 1,540 ha | 1,870 ha |
| 2009 | 286 ha | 1,730 ha | 2,010 ha |
| 2010 | 200 ha | 1,240 ha | 1,440 ha |
| 2011 | 153 ha | 1,280 ha | 1,430 ha |
| 2012 | 115 ha | 804 ha | 919 ha |
| 2013 | 72 ha | 576 ha | 648 ha |
| 2014 | 203 ha | 5,230 ha | 5,430 ha |
| 2015 | 66 ha | 969 ha | 1,040 ha |
| 2016 | 312 ha | 5,120 ha | 5,430 ha |
| 2017 | 242 ha | 4,740 ha | 4,980 ha |
| 2018 | 238 ha | 8,000 ha | 8,240 ha |
| 2019 | 225 ha | 3,350 ha | 3,580 ha |
| 2020 | 170 ha | 3,760 ha | 3,930 ha |
| 2021 | 173 ha | 2,090 ha | 2,260 ha |
| 2022 | 124 ha | 2,890 ha | 3,010 ha |
| 2023 | 208 ha | 4,500 ha | 4,710 ha |
| 2024 | 165 ha | 3,620 ha | 3,780 ha |
| 2025 | 155 ha | 3,240 ha | 3,400 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 Slovenia?
- 7.3%cleared for good (deforestation)
- 91%can grow back (fire, logging, storms)
- 1.8%cause unknown
- Logging87% · 57,900 ha
Can grow back. Trees cut for timber or paper. The land usually stays forest and grows back.
- Towns and roads4.5% · 2,980 ha
Cleared for good. Forest replaced by houses, buildings and roads.
- Wildfires2.7% · 1,790 ha
Can grow back. Forest burned. It often grows back, though fire is sometimes used to clear land for good.
- Farms, pasture and plantations1.8% · 1,220 ha
Cleared for good. Forest cleared for crops, cattle pasture or tree plantations: the biggest cause of deforestation in the world.
- Storms, floods and other natural causes1.3% · 872 ha
Can grow back. Trees killed by storms, floods, landslides, pests or disease.
- Mining and energy1% · 692 ha
Cleared for good. Forest cleared for mines, oil and gas, power lines and dams.
- Unknown causes1.8% · 1,200 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Novo Mesto | 1,080 ha | 5.8% | 327 ha |
| Ljubljana | 387 ha | 3.4% | 81 ha |
| Celje | 386 ha | 2.5% | 86 ha |
| Maribor | 285 ha | 2.2% | 83 ha |
| Koper | 191 ha | 2.4% | 145 ha |
Frequently asked
Questions about deforestation in Slovenia
How much forest has Slovenia lost since 2001?
Since 2001, Slovenia has lost about 66,600 hectares of forest (about 93,000 football pitches): 5% of the forest it had in 2000. Most of it was lost to logging, so much of it can grow back. About 4,880 hectares (7.3%) was deforestation: forest cleared for good for farms, mines or towns.
Is deforestation in Slovenia getting worse?
Forest loss is slowing down: about 3,430 hectares a year in 2021–2025, down from 5,230 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 Slovenia?
The main causes of forest loss since 2001 are logging (87%), towns and roads (4.5%), wildfires (2.7%). About 4,880 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 Slovenia?
The worst year was 2018, when about 8,240 hectares of forest were lost.
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 Slovenia, 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.