Botswana Grapples with Tree Cover Loss Amid Recent Fire Incident

Botswana Grapples with Tree Cover Loss Amid Recent Fire Incident

A recent fire incident in the North-West District of Botswana has brought the country's struggle with tree cover loss into sharp focus. Over the past two decades, Botswana has experienced a net loss in tree cover, with a total of 14,571.47 hectares lost and only 13,303.39 hectares gained, resulting in a net change of -1,268.08 hectares. This equates to a 0.71% decrease in tree cover from the original extent.

The primary driver of tree cover loss in Botswana has been identified as shifting agriculture, which has contributed to the majority of the losses over the years. While other potential drivers such as forestry, wildfires, and urbanization have not been quantified, shifting agriculture alone has led to significant emissions of CO2e, with a notable 2,854.67 megagrams in 2001, and a cumulative impact over the years.