Projected forest coverage data from 2020 to 2050

This data describes the changes in future forest areas (including the areas of planted and natural forests) projected from 2020 to 2050 in China. For planted forests, the provincial areas of new plantations were obtained from the National Forest Management Plan 2016-2050 released by the State Forestry and Grassland Administration of China. The afforestation rate was assumed to be the same as the rate during the 9th NFI in each province. We also assumed that tree survival would be between 47% and 85%. Since China restricts further conversion of croplands and wetlands to forestland for food security and biodiversity conservation, we assumed that future plantations would only be allowed to be converted from grassland and shrubland. For natural forests, we assumed that the areas will increase according to the “Mid- and Long-Term Protection and Recovery Plan of Natural Forests in China (2022-2035)” released by the National Forestry and Grassland Administration of China. Therefore, the data includes the forest area changes under two scenarios (i.e., planted forests with 47% and 85% survival rates)