Portugal, with a total area of approximately 8.96 million hectares, has a significant tree cover extent of around 2.30 million hectares. However, the country has been experiencing a concerning trend of tree cover loss over the years. An analysis of historical data reveals that forestry activities have been the primary driver of tree cover loss, followed by wildfires and urbanization. Notably, the year 2017 marked the highest recorded tree cover loss of over 173,000 hectares, with forestry activities accounting for the vast majority of this loss.
The cumulative impact of these losses is substantial. Since 2001, Portugal has seen a net loss of over 104,000 hectares of tree cover, which represents a 3.39% decrease in its tree cover extent. Wildfires, in particular, have been a persistent issue, with thousands of hectares affected annually. The latest incident in the Aveiro District underscores the ongoing threat that wildfires pose to Portugal's environment.
Explore country profileThe data indicates that while there has been some gain in tree cover, the overall trend is one of disturbance and loss. This trend has significant implications for the country's biodiversity, climate regulation, and carbon sequestration capacities. With the increasing frequency of incidents, the resilience of Portugal's forests and the services they provide are under considerable stress.
