Australia's Landscape Altered by Wildfires and Land Use, Tree Cover Shifts Noted

Australia's Landscape Altered by Wildfires and Land Use, Tree Cover Shifts Noted

Australia has witnessed significant changes in its tree cover over the years, with recent data indicating a complex interplay of natural and human-driven factors reshaping its landscape. The country's vast area of approximately 768.80 million hectares includes a tree cover extent of around 42.30 million hectares. However, this coverage has not been immune to disturbances.

Over the past two decades, Australia has experienced a net loss in tree cover of about 917,000 hectares, which translates to a 1.03% decrease. This loss has been partially offset by a gain of approximately 1.60 million hectares, yet the overall trend remains concerning. Wildfires have been a significant driver of this decline, accounting for a substantial portion of the tree cover loss each year. For instance, in 2020 alone, wildfires were responsible for the loss of nearly 2 million hectares of tree cover.