Deforestation in Morocco poses a significant threat to biodiversity, with the country losing 3,510 hectares of natural forest between 2010 and 2023, according to data from Global Forest Watch, a real-time tracker of the world’s forests.
In 2010, Morocco’s forests covered 381,000 hectares, accounting for nearly 1% of the country’s land area. Over the past 13 years, the country has seen a considerable reduction in tree cover.
This trend is further exacerbated by wildfires. In 2022, Morocco experienced a peak of 250 fire alerts, as reported by satellite imagery.
However, data from the Global Forest Watch indicates a significant decline in wildfire activity this year, with only 27 alerts recorded so far, signaling a notable decrease in fire incidents.
The Tangier-Tetouan region has been particularly affected, accounting for 69% of the total tree cover loss between 2001 and 2023.
The region has seen a dramatic reduction of 40,400 hectares, far surpassing the national average deforestation rate of 4,510 hectares.
Despite the lower number of fire alerts, which typically peak in late May and last for about 16 weeks, it does not mitigate the broader issue of deforestation.