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Deforestation · 10 km around the city · 2001–2025

Deforestation around Puning

Since 2001, the area within 10 km of Puning has lost about 1,080 hectares of forest (about 1,500 football pitches): 16% of the forest it had in 2000. Most of it was lost to logging, so much of it can grow back. About 391 hectares (36%) was deforestation: forest cleared for good for farms, mines or towns.

Forest in 2000
6,590 hawithin 10 km of the centre
Forest lost since 2001
1,080 ha16% of it, about 1,500 football pitches
Cleared for good
391 hadeforestation, 36% of the loss
Worst year
2016123 ha lost

Satellite timelapse

Satellite image of the area around Puning, October 2017

2017: satellite photo from October 2017 of a 5 × 5 km area about 7 km south 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 Puning, year by year

Forest loss is slowing down: about 37 hectares a year in 2021–2025, down from 51 hectares a year in 2016–2020. The worst year was 2016, when about 123 hectares of forest were lost.

Forest lost within 10 km of Puning each year, 2001–2025

Hectares of forest lost each year

Forest lost within 10 km of Puning each year, 2001–2025. Use the left and right arrow keys to read each year.123

Show the figures as a table
Forest lost within 10 km of Puning each year, 2001–2025
YearCleared for goodCan grow backTotal
20018 ha3 ha11 ha
20022 ha8 ha10 ha
20031 haunder 1 ha2 ha
20044 ha8 ha11 ha
20054 haunder 1 ha5 ha
20063 ha39 ha42 ha
20076 ha42 ha48 ha
200810 ha36 ha46 ha
200915 ha9 ha24 ha
201023 ha52 ha75 ha
201161 ha54 ha115 ha
201234 ha26 ha61 ha
201315 ha54 ha68 ha
201421 ha36 ha57 ha
201532 ha29 ha61 ha
201633 ha90 ha123 ha
201738 ha27 ha66 ha
20189 ha23 ha32 ha
20197 ha11 ha18 ha
20205 ha13 ha18 ha
202115 ha34 ha50 ha
202214 ha48 ha61 ha
202316 ha9 ha25 ha
20246 ha14 ha20 ha
202510 ha18 ha27 ha

Forest gained and lost, 2000–2020

Forest in 2000
9,650 ha
Forest in 2020
9,050 ha
Overall change
−599 haless forest than in 2000

Comparing satellite maps from 2000 and 2020, the forest around Puning shrank from about 9,650 hectares to 9,050 hectares, a net loss of about 599 hectares (−6.2%). New forest grew on about 146 hectares, but 745 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 Puning?

  • 36%cleared for good (deforestation)
  • 63%can grow back (fire, logging, storms)
  • under 1%cause unknown
  • Logging59% · 633 ha

    Can grow back. Trees cut for timber or paper. The land usually stays forest and grows back.

  • Towns and roads31% · 334 ha

    Cleared for good. Forest replaced by houses, buildings and roads.

  • Wildfires4.1% · 44 ha

    Can grow back. Forest burned. It often grows back, though fire is sometimes used to clear land for good.

  • Mining and energy3.7% · 40 ha

    Cleared for good. Forest cleared for mines, oil and gas, power lines and dams.

  • Farms, pasture and plantations1.5% · 17 ha

    Cleared for good. Forest cleared for crops, cattle pasture or tree plantations: the biggest cause of deforestation in the world.

Also, each under 1%: unknown causes.

Causes for 2025 are estimates, based on what caused forest loss in the same places up to 2024.

Nearby cities losing forest

CityForest lost (10 km)Share of its forestCleared for good
Chaozhou498 ha12%204 ha
Huizhou1,390 ha34%537 ha
Shenzhen348 ha5.8%292 ha
Zhuhai336 ha6.2%223 ha
Quanzhou519 ha17%50 ha
Qingyuan884 ha16%350 ha

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Put Puning's forest loss on your site

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Puning forest lost since 2001 — measured by Airleaf
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Frequently asked

Questions about deforestation around Puning

How much forest has Puning lost since 2001?

Since 2001, the area within 10 km of Puning has lost about 1,080 hectares of forest (about 1,500 football pitches): 16% of the forest it had in 2000. Most of it was lost to logging, so much of it can grow back. About 391 hectares (36%) was deforestation: forest cleared for good for farms, mines or towns.

Is deforestation around Puning getting worse?

Forest loss is slowing down: about 37 hectares a year in 2021–2025, down from 51 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 around Puning?

The main causes of forest loss since 2001 are logging (59%), towns and roads (31%), wildfires (4.1%). About 391 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 Puning?

The worst year was 2016, when about 123 hectares of forest were lost.

Is the forest around Puning growing or shrinking?

Comparing satellite maps from 2000 and 2020, the forest around Puning shrank from about 9,650 hectares to 9,050 hectares, a net loss of about 599 hectares (−6.2%). New forest grew on about 146 hectares, but 745 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 Puning 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 Puning, 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 Puning, 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.

Deforestation in China The national figures, mapped.Most deforested cities The full ranking since 2001.Puning city report Today's air quality and tree cover.