File:Three trillion trees nature sept2015.jpg

WaPo re Mapping Tree Density at a Global Scale -- http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v525/n7568/full/nature14967.html

Earlier this month, media outlets around the world covered a dramatic study in Nature finding that the world contains over 3 trillion trees — but that humans have nearly halved their numbers since the dawn of civilization. But much of the coverage missed what may have been the most fascinating new data of all, which the researchers, led by Thomas Crowther of Yale University, provided in a supplement to their broader study.

There, the scientists calculated comprehensive estimates of the numbers of trees in each country of the world, and how that relates to the country’s physical size, population size and more.

This research provides nothing less than an entirely different way of looking at the world — in terms of what you might call “tree wealth” or “tree resources.” After all, having lots of trees in a country provides a huge host of benefits — trees are both a natural resource and an asset to humans. They filter water, combat air pollution, sequester huge amounts of carbon that would otherwise reside in the atmosphere, and even, it appears, contribute to human psychological and health benefits. Indeed, large parts of the world population depend on forests for food.

... the world’s overall tree leader is clearly Russia, with 642 billion total trees, followed by Canada with 318 billion and Brazil with 302 billion. The United States is actually fourth overall in this ranking, with 228 billion trees. Other countries with over 100 billion trees include China, with 140 billion and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, with 101 billion. Indonesia comes in 7th, with 81 billion, and Australia 8th, with 77 billion.