What does forest mean?
Forest is the threshold land-cover baseline behind EUDR deforestation and degradation analysis. It is not everyday forest language; it depends on area, height and canopy criteria, and land-use exclusions.
forest
The EUDR land-cover threshold for forest: area, tree height, canopy cover, and land-use exclusions.
1 official sourceSingle-source term
Source context
This page uses the EUDR Article 2 definition. The term is a legal land-cover threshold for EUDR analysis, not a general ecological description of every wooded area.
Official definitions by source
EUDR
Regulation (EU) 2023/1115 on deforestation-free products
land spanning more than 0,5 hectares with trees higher than 5 metres and a canopy cover of more than 10 %, or trees able to reach those thresholds in situ, excluding land that is predominantly under agricultural or urban land use;
Reference: Article 2, point 4
Definition status
Reviewed public draft page. Aligns with EUDR forest/production-boundary policy: separates land-cover thresholds, forest-type classifications, production-location evidence, product compliance status, and actor-scope identity.
Key EUDR compliance trigger
EUDR applies to the listed commodities and derived products placed on or exported from the EU market from 30 December 2024 (large operators) and 30 June 2025 (SMEs), subject to the benchmarking system that classifies countries as low, standard, or high risk. The applicable obligation level depends on country risk classification as well as operator size.
Practical application
Implementation records should capture the land-cover record, plot identifier, tree-height threshold, canopy-cover threshold, plot geometry, area calculation, land-use exclusion, source date, data source, and confidence level.
Minespider commentary
Forest is the land-cover scope control for EUDR evidence. It should connect plot geometry, threshold checks, land-use exclusions, and source dates so deforestation assessments are not based on a vague map label or supplier statement.
Common confusions
- Using everyday forest language without checking EUDR area, height, canopy, and land-use thresholds.
- Confusing forest with other wooded land or tree-covered agricultural land.
- Ignoring the exclusion for land predominantly under agricultural or urban land use.