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Cyprus’ forests continued to grow faster than they were harvested in 2023, maintaining a positive balance between natural expansion and timber extraction, according to the latest data from Eurostat.
The country recorded an estimated 202,320 cubic meters of forest growth after logging, while removals were limited to just 10,110 cubic meters. This indicates that forest regeneration significantly outpaced harvesting, a key sign of sustainable resource management.
However, when compared across Europe, Cyprus ranks near the bottom in terms of growth margins. While it still posts a positive figure, it is among the lowest-performing countries in this category. Only Belgium recorded a smaller positive increase, while Malta showed no net growth at all, placing it at zero. This means Cyprus stands as the second lowest among EU countries that still maintain positive forest growth.
The balance between annual forest growth and timber removals is widely used to assess sustainability in forestry. As long as growth exceeds logging, forest ecosystems are generally considered to be managed responsibly and capable of long-term renewal.
Across the European Union, most countries followed this pattern in 2023. A total of 23 member states reported higher growth than removals. Romania led by a wide margin, with a surplus of nearly 39.9 million cubic meters, followed by Sweden and Poland with similarly large gaps.
Estonia was the only country where logging surpassed forest growth, resulting in a net loss of around 2.5 million cubic meters of available timber.
Eurostat notes that these figures are based on planned and controlled harvesting practices, excluding unexpected losses such as fires or natural disasters. This indicator remains an important tool for evaluating the environmental impact of forestry and ensuring that exploitation of forest resources remains sustainable over time.
With information from Eurostat.
