Brazil, a country with an area of over 850 million hectares, has witnessed significant tree cover loss over the years. The country's tree cover extent, which spans over 519 million hectares, has been consistently impacted by various drivers of deforestation. Analysis of historical data reveals a concerning trend of forest loss, with shifting agriculture being the predominant cause. This practice alone accounted for a substantial percentage of the total tree cover loss, followed by forestry activities, urbanization, and wildfires.
The cumulative effect of these drivers has led to a net change in tree cover characterized by a loss of over 36 million hectares, a gain of approximately 8 million hectares, and a disturbance affecting over 23 million hectares. This equates to a net loss of nearly 28 million hectares, marking a negative change of about 5.93% in tree cover.
Explore country profileThe latest incident from the State of Alagoas, Brazil, with only one fire alert reported on December 13, 2024, may seem minor in comparison to the historical data. However, it underscores the ongoing vulnerability of Brazil's forests to incidents that can lead to further deforestation. The persistence of these challenges calls for a broader discussion on the sustainability of land use and the protection of Brazil's vital forest ecosystems.
