Satellite images show receding forests in Slovakia

Satellite images from 2001-2014 show receding forests in Slovakia, but statistics paint a different picture, TASR reports citing a study by the Environmental Policy Institute, the analytical unit of the Environment Ministry. "While figures from the National Forestry Centre for that period indicate an increase in land covered by forests by 0.7 percent and an increase in wood reserves by as much as 14.7 percent, satellite images indicate a drop in forest-covered area by 6 percent. This divergence is due to different methodologies," reads the study. Along with the issues of waste and air quality, forests are one of the Institute's three main environmental challenges for Slovakia. The spotlight on forest cover is due to the higher-than-recommended pace and extent of logging, as well as input from experts.