China’s forest gains hide a 'bitter' truth: We are losing our last truly natural wild spaces.

China gained 447,500 sq km of planted forest between 1990 and 2020, but lost 219,100 sq km of natural forest. By 2020, only 9.6% of natural forests remained fully intact. Researchers said combining all forest types hides the truth, as natural forests became more fragmented while tree plantations grew rapidly across China.