A groundbreaking study published in Nature has produced the first global map of forest tree density and estimated that there are over three trillion trees worldwide. You read that right – trillion with a “T”. Researchers were clearly trying to one-up previous estimates of around 400 billion trees, which now seems paltry in comparison.  

By collecting data from over 400,000 measurement plots in forests globally, the Yale researchers pulled off this feat of statistical one-upmanship. Their models estimate approximately 1.39 trillion trees exist in tropical and subtropical forests alone. 

The study found that dense boreal and tundra forests harbor the most trees per square kilometer. But tropical regions take the cake for total tree numbers, comprising 42.8% of all Earth’s trees. After tropical forests, the runner-ups were temperate (21.8%) and boreal (24.2%).

The researchers hope quantifying tree populations will provide new insights for ecology and climate research. The study does make one somber point – that human development has led to declining tree numbers over history. The researchers estimate 15 billion trees are cut down per year, and total global tree numbers have declined by 46% since human civilization began. 

So, while the new estimate of over three trillion trees is impressive, it may serve as a reminder of how much forest humanity has already lost. But at least we can say there are trillions of trees left!