South Africa has recently experienced a fire incident in the North West region, underscoring the persistent threats to the country's tree cover. With an area spanning over 121 million hectares, South Africa boasts a tree cover extent of approximately 5.98 million hectares. However, this vital environmental asset has been under siege from various factors. Over the years, the country has seen a net change in tree cover that reflects a loss of 530,16.50 hectares, partially offset by a gain of 388,239.98 hectares. This equates to a net loss of 141,776.52 hectares, indicating a negative change of about 1.86%.
The drivers of tree cover loss include shifting agriculture, forestry activities, wildfires, and urbanization. Shifting agriculture and forestry have had the most significant impact, accounting for the majority of the tree cover loss. Wildfires, although contributing to a smaller proportion of the loss, remain a concern as evidenced by the latest fire incident.
Explore country profileThe data reveals a concerning trend, with the total tree cover loss over the years amounting to millions of hectares, accompanied by substantial CO2 gross emissions. It is clear that the cumulative effect of these drivers poses a serious challenge to South Africa's tree cover, with implications for biodiversity, climate change, and human livelihoods.
