Namibia: 2.5% of forest areas gone since 1990
Forests critical for healthy climate
In 2020, the forest area was 6.6 million hectares, down from 8.7 million hectares in 1990.
More than 2.5% of Namibia’s forest areas have disappeared since independence.Forestry minister Pohamba Shifeta said this at the first International Conference on Afforestation and Reforestation that took place in Brazil.
The minister emphasised that healthy forests help regulate the climate by influencing rainfall patterns, cooling living areas, and absorbing greenhouse gas emissions such as carbon dioxide, which causes global warming.
Moreover, woodlands are essential as they stabilise fragile soils and prevent soil erosion, especially in the flood-prone areas along the river streams in the northern parts of the country.
Official estimates from Namibia’s Directorate of Forestry reported to the FAO revealed that in 2020, the forest area was 6.6 million hectares, down from 8.7 million hectares in 1990. More than 2.5% of the forest area has disappeared since 1990.
Exploitation
Forest resources in Namibia are exploited for various uses, including charcoal production and the production of fire blocks, among other uses.
“Moreover, forest areas are the home of Namibia’s rich biological diversity. Forests also play a vital role from a socio-economic perspective, especially in the rural areas of Namibia, as many are directly or indirectly dependent on the availability of forest resources for browsing, building material for homesteads, fuel wood for cooking, light, heating and medicines, amongst others.”
Shifeta said major threats to forests in Namibia include the expansion of land for agriculture, the cutting of wood for fuel and domestic use, clearing for infrastructure development, uncontrolled wildfires, selective logging through timber concessions, legal and illegal timber harvesting, climate change and habitat destruction by elephants.
Moreover, population growth goes hand in hand with an increase in the unsustainable use of timber, putting a severe strain on the environment. Deforestation not only leads to the loss of resources used for human activities but also results in desertification and severe land degradation.
Shifeta said Namibia has identified ambitious measures to mitigate climate change.
Shifeta said Namibia has identified ambitious measures to mitigate climate change, including reducing the deforestation rate by 75%, reforesting 20 000 hectares per year, planting 10 000 hectares of trees per year under agroforestry, and planting 5 000 hectares of trees under urban forestry to restore 15 500 hectares of grassland.