Why have forests and wild animal habitats been reduced across much of the European Plain?

The reduction of forests and wild animal habitats across the European Plain is primarily the result of centuries of intense human activity aimed at resource exploitation and agricultural expansion.12

Drivers of Habitat Loss

• Agricultural Expansion: Beginning in the Middle Ages, the invention of the heavy-wheeled plow allowed for the clearing of thick, forested clay soils that were previously inaccessible. As populations grew, forests were systematically cleared by fire and ax to create farmland and pasture.31
• Resource Demand: Woodlands were heavily exploited for building materials, fuel, and charcoal required for iron smelting.1
• Technological and Economic Growth: The Industrial Revolution further transformed the landscape as the plain’s flat terrain facilitated the construction of extensive rail systems and industrial centers near coalfields.3
• Land Conversion: Much of the original mixed forest has been replaced by villages, fields, and vast granaries, leaving only remnants of the primeval landscape.12

These modifications have significantly reduced the numbers of wild animals and fragmented their natural habitats, as the plain has been heavily settled and cultivated for centuries.2