In a recent development, Spain's Castile and León region has reported a fire incident, marking a continued challenge for the nation's forests. Over the past two decades, Spain has seen significant fluctuations in tree cover loss, with a notable increase in recent years. The country's tree cover extent spans over 11 million hectares, which has experienced a net change in tree cover with a slight increase of 0.25%.
Forestry activities have been the primary driver of tree cover loss, followed by shifting agriculture, wildfires, and urbanization. In 2022 alone, forestry accounted for a substantial portion of the tree cover loss, with wildfires also contributing significantly to the degradation. Despite these losses, Spain has also seen gains in tree cover, indicating some level of recovery and reforestation efforts.
Explore country profileThe latest fire alert underscores the ongoing vulnerability of Spain's forests to wildfires, which have been a persistent threat, further exacerbating tree cover loss. The incident in Castile and León is a stark reminder of the delicate balance between natural ecosystems and the factors that threaten their stability.
