10 Million Acres of Forest Lost in U.S. Between 1990 and 2017
News related to:Open Space Institute · 2 min read
NEW YORK, N.Y., Oct. 29, 2026 /CourierPR/ -- The Open Space Institute (OSI) has released a new report that sheds light on the significant rate and impact of forest loss in the contiguous United States over the past three decades. According to the study, nearly 10 million acres of forest were permanently lost between 1990 and 2017, equivalent to the loss of one football field every two minutes.
It delves into the extraordinary role forests play in providing climate benefits through carbon storage. The analysis reveals that forest loss had a combined climate impact of 2.3 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide, including emissions from stored forest carbon and the carbon those forests would otherwise have absorbed over the coming 50 years.
Forest loss was concentrated in 11 states, which accounted for 70 percent of the total loss. Some counties lost as much as 40 percent of their forests, and 60 counties lost more than 10 percent. This concentration means that forest protection can be targeted and strategic where it may have the greatest impact.
The report introduces the U.S. Forest Monitor (usforestmonitor.org), a free online platform that makes the Forest Carbon Data Partnership’s (FCDP) data and research available through maps, tools, and practical guidance. Users can explore forest loss hotspots, compare trends across states and counties, understand related carbon and other benefits, and use the findings to prioritize land protection, inform policy and funding, and guide climate investments.
The research team behind the report was led by Christopher A. Williams, PhD, professor of geography and environmental science at Clark University’s School of Climate, Environment, and Society and director of the George Perkins Marsh Institute.
The FCDP, led by OSI, brings together Clark University, The Nature Conservancy, Trust for Public Land, Land Trust Alliance, and American Forests. The partnership combines applied research, policy analysis, data tools, and practitioner support to connect forest science with decisions about where to protect forests and how to strengthen conservation policy.
The report and partnership are funded in part by a $1 million grant from the Doris Duke Foundation through March 2028, as part of the foundation’s initiative to advance forests as an essential climate solution. Additional support has been provided by Causeway Future Foundation, Sugi Charitable Trust, White Cedar Fund, Jane’s Trust Foundation, J.M. Kaplan Fund, van Beuren Charitable Foundation, and individual contributors.