The phrase "deforestation rates" refers to the rate or speed at which trees are being cut down and removed from forests or wooded areas. Full definition
The project is part of our longstanding and highly successful strategy of using sustainable community forestry to reduce deforestation rates in the area to nearly zero. (rainforest-alliance.org)
The highest deforestation rates observed and estimated globally occurred in the 1990s. (issues.org)
The system has helped dramatically reduce deforestation rates, from nearly 12,000 hectares per year in the 1990s to just 3,000 hectares per year in 2000. (conservationmagazine.org)