U.N.: Deforestation still a problem but improving

Deforestation still remains a major global problem but is getting better as conservation efforts continue to improve, according to a new United Nations report.

Roughly 13 million hectares of forests were converted for agriculture and other uses or lost due to natural causes annually between 2000 and 2010, according to the Global Forest Resources Assessment 2010. This is down from the roughly 16 million hectares per year during the 1990s.

One hectare equals nearly 2.5 acres.

What is also improving is the amount of forest designated for conservation. More than 95 million hectares was set aside to preserve biological diversity since 1990, with the largest portion – 46 percent – set aside between 2000 and 2005. Currently, 12 percent – or more than 460 million hectares – are designated primarily to conserve biological diversity.

South America and Africa had the highest net annual loss of forests in the past decade – losing four and 3.4 million hectares respectively -- while Asia gained about 2 million hectares annually. North and Central America remained somewhat stable, while the growth in forest area in Europe has slowed.

The U.N. has billed the report as the most comprehensive assessment of the world’s forests ever undertaken.