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1 Sept 2024

South Africa's Tree Cover Faces Continuous Decline with Recent Fire Incident in Eastern Cape
South Africa's Tree Cover Faces Continuous Decline with Recent Fire Incident in Eastern Cape

South Africa has experienced a persistent decrease in tree cover over the past two decades. The latest incident, a fire in the Eastern Cape region, adds to the series of challenges facing the country's forests. With an area of approximately 122 million hectares, South Africa's tree cover extends over nearly 6 million hectares. However, the nation has faced a net loss in tree cover, with a decrease of 1.86% from the stable tree cover extent.

The primary drivers of tree cover loss have been identified as forestry activities and shifting agriculture, contributing significantly to the overall reduction. Forestry, in particular, has been responsible for the majority of the tree cover loss, while shifting agriculture also plays a substantial role. Urbanization and wildfires, although contributing less to the total loss, still pose a threat to the country's natural resources.

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The impact of these losses is not just limited to the environment but also affects the carbon emissions balance, with millions of metric tons of CO2 equivalent released into the atmosphere as a result of these activities. The recent fire alert in the Eastern Cape is a stark reminder of the ongoing threat wildfires pose to the remaining tree cover.

As South Africa continues to face these environmental challenges, the focus on sustainable practices and conservation efforts becomes increasingly critical to mitigate further loss and promote recovery of the affected areas.

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