Dynamics of Deforestation and Degradation of Forests in the Democratic Republic of Congo from 1990 to 2018

Abstract

Improving conditions to maintain soil fertility levels by avoiding deforestation would require an assessment of the contribution of forests to soil rege-neration in complex and unpredictable farming systems involving alternating slash-and-burn farming. Results on forest cover over the period 1990-2018 indicate a net annual deforestation rate of 2.12% ± 0.07% and 0.12% annual degradation. The rate of deforestation is estimated mainly in relation to dense forests. Deforestation is the degradation that seems relatively important for DR Congo with relative population densities or the demand for agricultural land is greater which will lead to several consequences such as climate change, soil erosion, biodiversity loss, CO 2 emissions, and natural disasters.