Deforestation · 2001–2025
Deforestation in the U.S. Virgin Islands
Since 2001, the U.S. Virgin Islands has lost about 4,610 acres (1,870 hectares) of forest (about 3,500 football fields): 11% of the forest it had in 2000. The biggest cause was shifting farming (31%), after which forest can grow back. About 2,270 acres (918 hectares) (49%) was deforestation: forest cleared for good for farms, mines or towns.
- Forest in 2000
- 42,900 acres (17,400 ha)
- Forest lost since 2001
- 4,610 acres (1,870 ha)11% of it, about 3,500 football fields
- Cleared for good
- 2,270 acres (918 ha)deforestation, 49% of the loss
- Worst year
- 20172,600 acres (1,050 ha) lost
Map
Where the U.S. Virgin Islands has lost forest
Every square kilometre of the U.S. Virgin Islands 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 the U.S. Virgin Islands, year by year
Forest loss is slowing down: about 65 acres (26 hectares) a year in 2021–2025, down from 563 acres (228 hectares) a year in 2016–2020. The worst year was 2017, when about 2,600 acres (1,050 hectares) of forest were lost.
Acres of forest lost each year
Show the figures as a table
| Year | Cleared for good | Can grow back | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | 282 acres (114 ha) | 15 acres (6 ha) | 297 acres (120 ha) |
| 2002 | 38 acres (15 ha) | 14 acres (6 ha) | 52 acres (21 ha) |
| 2003 | 92 acres (37 ha) | 7 acres (3 ha) | 99 acres (40 ha) |
| 2004 | 71 acres (29 ha) | 10 acres (4 ha) | 81 acres (33 ha) |
| 2005 | 46 acres (19 ha) | 4 acres (2 ha) | 49 acres (20 ha) |
| 2006 | 150 acres (61 ha) | 26 acres (11 ha) | 176 acres (71 ha) |
| 2007 | 44 acres (18 ha) | 16 acres (6 ha) | 59 acres (24 ha) |
| 2008 | 79 acres (32 ha) | 16 acres (7 ha) | 96 acres (39 ha) |
| 2009 | 175 acres (71 ha) | 32 acres (13 ha) | 207 acres (84 ha) |
| 2010 | 48 acres (19 ha) | 5 acres (2 ha) | 53 acres (21 ha) |
| 2011 | 100 acres (41 ha) | 21 acres (8 ha) | 121 acres (49 ha) |
| 2012 | 49 acres (20 ha) | 15 acres (6 ha) | 64 acres (26 ha) |
| 2013 | 56 acres (23 ha) | 10 acres (4 ha) | 66 acres (27 ha) |
| 2014 | 49 acres (20 ha) | 2 acres (1 ha) | 52 acres (21 ha) |
| 2015 | under 1 ha | under 1 ha | under 1 ha |
| 2016 | 5 acres (2 ha) | 16 acres (6 ha) | 21 acres (9 ha) |
| 2017 | 615 acres (249 ha) | 1,990 acres (804 ha) | 2,600 acres (1,050 ha) |
| 2018 | 51 acres (21 ha) | 57 acres (23 ha) | 108 acres (44 ha) |
| 2019 | 44 acres (18 ha) | 4 acres (2 ha) | 48 acres (19 ha) |
| 2020 | 33 acres (13 ha) | under 1 ha | 35 acres (14 ha) |
| 2021 | 42 acres (17 ha) | 3 acres (1 ha) | 45 acres (18 ha) |
| 2022 | 75 acres (30 ha) | 9 acres (4 ha) | 84 acres (34 ha) |
| 2023 | 62 acres (25 ha) | 5 acres (2 ha) | 67 acres (27 ha) |
| 2024 | 27 acres (11 ha) | 23 acres (9 ha) | 50 acres (20 ha) |
| 2025 | 35 acres (14 ha) | 46 acres (19 ha) | 81 acres (33 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 the U.S. Virgin Islands?
- 49%cleared for good (deforestation)
- 49%can grow back (fire, logging, storms)
- 1.7%cause unknown
- Shifting farming31% · 1,410 acres (571 ha)
Can grow back. Small patches cleared to grow crops for a few seasons, then left to grow back.
- Towns and roads27% · 1,230 acres (496 ha)
Cleared for good. Forest replaced by houses, buildings and roads.
- Farms, pasture and plantations23% · 1,040 acres (422 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 causes19% · 855 acres (346 ha)
Can grow back. Trees killed by storms, floods, landslides, pests or disease.
- Unknown causes1.7% · 77 acres (31 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Saint Croix | 2,160 acres (873 ha) | 15% | 1,510 acres (610 ha) |
| Charlotte Amalie | 415 acres (168 ha) | 3.8% | 309 acres (125 ha) |
Frequently asked
Questions about deforestation in the U.S. Virgin Islands
How much forest has the U.S. Virgin Islands lost since 2001?
Since 2001, the U.S. Virgin Islands has lost about 4,610 acres (1,870 hectares) of forest (about 3,500 football fields): 11% of the forest it had in 2000. The biggest cause was shifting farming (31%), after which forest can grow back. About 2,270 acres (918 hectares) (49%) was deforestation: forest cleared for good for farms, mines or towns.
Is deforestation in the U.S. Virgin Islands getting worse?
Forest loss is slowing down: about 65 acres (26 hectares) a year in 2021–2025, down from 563 acres (228 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 the U.S. Virgin Islands?
The main causes of forest loss since 2001 are shifting farming (31%), towns and roads (27%), farms, pasture and plantations (23%). About 2,270 acres (918 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 the U.S. Virgin Islands?
The worst year was 2017, when about 2,600 acres (1,050 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 the U.S. Virgin Islands, 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.