[derektank]

There’s more forested land in Europe today than there has been since the middle ages

[Y-bar]

Almost half of which is monocultural plantations and not actual _forests_.

That’s about as ecologically true as calling a bunch of crop fields grasslands.

[subscribed]

I wouldn't focus on the Europe's forests though.

The biodiversity and nature loss around the world are staggering, and the meagre gains on one tiny continent don't offset that.

[actionfromafar]

More tree plantations.

[nickserv]

Citation needed.

Also, even if true, a lot is likely due to people leaving the countryside and migrating to the cities during the latter half of the 20th century. To feed these urban populations, an enormous amount of food needs to be imported from other countries. So really the deforestation has been exported, same as pollution from manufacturing.

[tokai]

You don't need citation for common knowledge.

[nickserv]

If OP had said "in last 40 years" then yeah sure.

But since the middle ages, or 500 years ago, how is that common knowledge?