Ukraine, a country with over 60 million hectares of land and approximately 11 million hectares of tree cover, has recently reported a fire incident in the Zaporizhia Oblast region. This event adds to the country's history of forest cover challenges. Over the years, Ukraine has experienced significant tree cover loss mainly due to forestry activities, which contributed to the majority of the 47.90 million hectares lost since 2001. Wildfires and urbanization also played a role, albeit to a lesser extent.
The data reveals a complex picture of Ukraine's forest cover, with a net change showing both losses and gains. While there has been a loss of nearly 500,000 hectares, gains amount to over 926,000 hectares, leading to a net positive change of approximately 427,000 hectares. This represents a net increase of about 4.08% in tree cover over the assessed period.
Explore country profileThe latest fire incident, although isolated, is a reminder of the persistent threat wildfires pose to Ukraine's forests. The cumulative effect of these incidents, combined with other factors such as forestry and urbanization, underscores the need for ongoing vigilance and sustainable management of forest resources.
