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31 Jan 2025

Venezuela Battles Deforestation: A Look at the Impact on Tree Cover and Ecosystems
Venezuela Battles Deforestation: A Look at the Impact on Tree Cover and Ecosystems

Venezuela, a country with an area of over 91 million hectares, has witnessed significant changes in its forest landscape. With a tree cover extent of approximately 56.50 million hectares, the nation has faced a net loss in tree cover of about 1.37 million hectares over the years, marking a decrease of roughly 2.49%.

Shifting agriculture has been the predominant driver of tree cover loss, accounting for a substantial portion of the deforestation. This practice alone has resulted in the loss of tens of thousands of hectares each year, with a notable peak in 2016 when over 156,000 hectares were cleared. Forestry activities, wildfires, and urbanization also contribute to the ongoing reduction in tree cover, albeit to a lesser extent.

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The impact of these losses is profound, affecting not only the carbon sequestration capacity of Venezuela's forests but also the biodiversity and ecological balance within these vital ecosystems. The latest incident in Apure, Venezuela, with a single fire alert, serves as a reminder of the persistent threats to the country's forested regions.

As the global community becomes increasingly aware of the importance of forests in mitigating climate change, the situation in Venezuela underscores the need for sustainable management and conservation strategies to preserve these critical habitats for future generations.

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