In a recent development, Botswana has reported an isolated fire incident in the Zambezi Region, Namibia, marking a continued trend of environmental challenges for the country. Over the years, Botswana has experienced a fluctuating pattern of tree cover loss, primarily driven by shifting agriculture. The data reveals a net loss of 1,268 hectares of tree cover, which represents a 0.71% decrease from the previous stable tree cover extent.
The historical data indicates that the year 2001 saw a significant tree cover loss of approximately 131 hectares, with shifting agriculture accounting for nearly 11% of this loss. Although there have been years with minimal to no tree cover loss, such as in 2015 and 2016, the overall trend has been one of decline. The most recent figures from 2022 show a tree cover loss of over 2 hectares, with shifting agriculture still playing a role, albeit a smaller one compared to previous years.
Explore country profileBotswana's tree cover extent, which stands at a little over 20,000 hectares, is a small fraction of its total land area of approximately 57.80 million hectares. This highlights the critical need for sustainable land management practices to mitigate further environmental degradation. The isolated fire incident, while not catastrophic in scale, underscores the importance of vigilance and proactive measures to protect Botswana's natural resources.
