In Russia, the vast expanse of forests is experiencing significant shifts in tree cover, with wildfires playing a major role in the landscape's transformation. Over the past two decades, analysis of the data reveals a troubling trend of escalating tree cover loss, primarily driven by wildfires and forestry activities. The tree cover extent, which spans over 761 million hectares, has seen a net loss of approximately 37 million hectares, with a marginal gain of around 37 million hectares. This equates to a net change in tree cover that is almost negligible, highlighting the severity of the disturbances.
Wildfires have been the predominant cause of tree cover loss, contributing to the majority of CO2 emissions associated with these losses. Forestry activities also account for a significant portion of the tree cover decline. The impact of shifting agriculture is minimal in comparison. The year 2022 alone witnessed a loss of over 4.20 million hectares, with wildfires responsible for nearly 73% of the tree cover loss for that year.
Explore country profileThe latest incident from the Sakha Republic underscores the ongoing challenge, with a fire alert reported as recently as November 30, 2024. This single incident, while seemingly minor with just one alert, is part of a larger pattern of environmental stress on Russia's forests. The data suggests a persistent and pressing need to address the factors contributing to tree cover loss, particularly those related to wildfires, to safeguard these vital ecosystems for the future.
