Forest loss and fire in the Dominican Republic during the 21st Century

Abstract

[English] [Preprint] We used Landsat-based estimates of tree cover change to document the loss and gain of forest in the Dominican Republic between 2000 and 2016. Overall, 2,795 km 2 of forest were lost, with forest gain occurring on only 393 km 2 , yielding a net loss of 2,402 km 2 of forest, a decline of 11.1% or 0.7% per year. Deforestation occurred in all of the major forest types in the country, and ranged from a 13% decline in the area of semi-moist broadleaf forest to a 5.9% loss of cloud forest, mostly attributed to agriculture. Fire was a significant driver of forest loss only in Hispaniolan pine ( Pinus occidentalis ) forests and, to a lesser extent, in adjacent cloud forest.