Deforestation · 10 km around the city · 2001–2025
Deforestation around Oslo
Since 2001, the area within 10 km of Oslo has lost about 672 hectares of forest (about 940 football pitches): 4.8% of the forest it had in 2000. Most of it was lost to logging, so much of it can grow back. About 212 hectares (32%) was deforestation: forest cleared for good for farms, mines or towns.
- Forest in 2000
- 13,900 hawithin 10 km of the centre
- Forest lost since 2001
- 672 ha4.8% of it, about 940 football pitches
- Cleared for good
- 212 hadeforestation, 32% of the loss
- Worst year
- 201663 ha lost
Satellite timelapse
2017: satellite photo from July 2017 of a 5 × 5 km area about 7 km north of the city centre.
Satellite photos of the same 5 × 5 km area, one per year, all taken in the same season so the colours compare. You can see forest being cleared and towns spreading, though not single trees. Download the before/after image (free to reuse with credit to Airleaf).
Year by year
Forest lost around Oslo, year by year
The worst year was 2016, when about 63 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 | 7 ha | 9 ha | 15 ha |
| 2002 | 5 ha | 6 ha | 11 ha |
| 2003 | 2 ha | 2 ha | 4 ha |
| 2004 | 17 ha | 26 ha | 43 ha |
| 2005 | 4 ha | 12 ha | 16 ha |
| 2006 | 20 ha | 11 ha | 31 ha |
| 2007 | 15 ha | 14 ha | 28 ha |
| 2008 | 18 ha | 18 ha | 36 ha |
| 2009 | 9 ha | 10 ha | 19 ha |
| 2010 | 7 ha | 16 ha | 22 ha |
| 2011 | 4 ha | 6 ha | 10 ha |
| 2012 | 9 ha | 11 ha | 20 ha |
| 2013 | 12 ha | 14 ha | 26 ha |
| 2014 | 4 ha | 13 ha | 17 ha |
| 2015 | 5 ha | 17 ha | 22 ha |
| 2016 | 16 ha | 47 ha | 63 ha |
| 2017 | 9 ha | 19 ha | 27 ha |
| 2018 | 4 ha | 29 ha | 33 ha |
| 2019 | 7 ha | 28 ha | 34 ha |
| 2020 | 5 ha | 32 ha | 36 ha |
| 2021 | 7 ha | 35 ha | 42 ha |
| 2022 | 7 ha | 38 ha | 45 ha |
| 2023 | 4 ha | 32 ha | 36 ha |
| 2024 | 6 ha | 10 ha | 16 ha |
| 2025 | 11 ha | 8 ha | 19 ha |
Forest gained and lost, 2000–2020
- Forest in 2000
- 12,900 ha
- Forest in 2020
- 12,200 ha
- Overall change
- −670 haless forest than in 2000
Comparing satellite maps from 2000 and 2020, the forest around Oslo shrank from about 12,900 hectares to 12,200 hectares, a net loss of about 670 hectares (−5.2%). New forest grew on about 216 hectares, but 886 hectares were lost.
These 2000 and 2020 maps, from the University of Maryland, count any land with trees taller than 5 m as forest, including plantations and orchards. Forest that was cut or burned and had grown back by 2020 counts in both years, so the loss here is smaller than the yearly figures.
Causes
What is causing deforestation around Oslo?
- 32%cleared for good (deforestation)
- 66%can grow back (fire, logging, storms)
- 2.2%cause unknown
- Logging66% · 445 ha
Can grow back. Trees cut for timber or paper. The land usually stays forest and grows back.
- Towns and roads31% · 209 ha
Cleared for good. Forest replaced by houses, buildings and roads.
- Unknown causes2.2% · 15 ha
Cause unknown. The satellites saw the trees go, but not why.
Also, each under 1%: farms, pasture and plantations.
Causes for 2025 are estimates, based on what caused forest loss in the same places up to 2024.
Nearby cities losing forest
| City | Forest lost (10 km) | Share of its forest | Cleared for good |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stockholm, Sweden | 430 ha | 3.5% | 280 ha |
| Mariehamn, Aland Islands | 3,340 ha | 27% | 243 ha |
Use this data
Put Oslo's forest loss on your site
Free to embed, with a link back to the full figures.
Frequently asked
Questions about deforestation around Oslo
How much forest has Oslo lost since 2001?
Since 2001, the area within 10 km of Oslo has lost about 672 hectares of forest (about 940 football pitches): 4.8% of the forest it had in 2000. Most of it was lost to logging, so much of it can grow back. About 212 hectares (32%) was deforestation: forest cleared for good for farms, mines or towns.
What is causing deforestation around Oslo?
The main causes of forest loss since 2001 are logging (66%), towns and roads (31%), farms, pasture and plantations (under 1%). About 212 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 around Oslo?
The worst year was 2016, when about 63 hectares of forest were lost.
Is the forest around Oslo growing or shrinking?
Comparing satellite maps from 2000 and 2020, the forest around Oslo shrank from about 12,900 hectares to 12,200 hectares, a net loss of about 670 hectares (−5.2%). New forest grew on about 216 hectares, but 886 hectares were lost. These 2000 and 2020 maps, from the University of Maryland, count any land with trees taller than 5 m as forest, including plantations and orchards. Forest that was cut or burned and had grown back by 2020 counts in both years, so the loss here is smaller than the yearly figures.
Can I see satellite images of Oslo over the years?
Yes. The timelapse at the top of this page has a satellite photo for every year from 2017 to 2026 of a 5 × 5 km area near Oslo, where the most forest was lost. Press play to watch it change, or turn on "Show cleared forest" to see exactly where trees 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 within 10 km of the centre of Oslo, 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.