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28 Jan 2025

Australia Battles Tree Cover Loss as Wildfires Remain a Major Driver
Australia Battles Tree Cover Loss as Wildfires Remain a Major Driver

Over the past two decades, Australia has faced significant challenges in preserving its tree cover. With a total land area of approximately 768.80 million hectares, the nation's tree cover extent stands at around 42.30 million hectares. However, this green canopy has been under threat, with a net loss of over 916,000 hectares, marking a decrease of approximately 1.03%.

The primary drivers of tree cover loss have been identified as forestry, shifting agriculture, wildfires, and urbanization. Notably, wildfires have been a persistent and devastating force, with the highest recorded tree cover loss due to fires reaching over 1.40 million hectares in 2020 alone. This incident accounted for a significant portion of the 587 million metric tons of CO2 equivalent gross emissions for that year.

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The trend of tree cover loss has seen fluctuations, with some years experiencing more severe losses than others. In 2019, the country saw an unprecedented loss of over 1.60 million hectares, while in 2022, the loss was relatively lower at approximately 119,000 hectares. Despite these variations, the overall trajectory points towards a continued challenge in managing and mitigating the loss of tree cover.

The latest fire incident in Victoria, Australia, with only one alert reported as of January 28, 2025, suggests a momentary respite from the larger-scale wildfires of previous years. However, the long-term data underscores the need for ongoing vigilance and proactive measures to protect Australia's forests and natural landscapes from further degradation.

As the country grapples with these environmental challenges, the focus remains on balancing development and conservation efforts to ensure the sustainability of its rich biodiversity for future generations.

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