Libya loses 390 hectares of tree cover over 25 years

21:15

By: Azzat Manal

Libya loses 390 hectares of tree cover over 25 years

Libya lost approximately 390 hectares of tree cover between 2001 and 2025, according to data from Global Forest Watch, highlighting the growing pressure on the country’s already limited vegetation resources.

The loss represents around 6% of Libya’s tree-cover area recorded in 2000. The figures measure tree-cover loss and do not account for areas where vegetation was restored or expanded during the same period.

The Green Mountain region was the most affected, with an estimated loss of around 250 hectares, followed by Al Marj with approximately 52 hectares and Derna with about 39 hectares.

In 2025 alone, Libya lost an estimated 36 hectares of natural forest. The country had approximately 21,000 hectares of natural forest in 2020, representing less than 0.1% of its total territory.

Libya’s fragile vegetation is increasingly threatened by drought, desertification, wildfires, water shortages and human activity. The United Nations estimates that around 95% of the country is already desert, making the protection of its remaining forests, oases and coastal vegetation particularly important for biodiversity and food security.

The Green Mountain has faced several environmental pressures in recent years, including drought and fires that have damaged vegetation and wildlife. Expanding sand dunes have also raised concerns about their impact on remaining green areas.

Efforts are nevertheless underway to address land degradation. In December 2025, the Global Environment Facility approved $5.8 million in funding for an initiative supported by the United Nations Development Programme and Libya’s Ministry of Environment. The project focuses on protecting biodiversity, improving climate resilience and restoring degraded ecosystems around the Ubari Lakes basin.

The initiative also includes plans for a proposed national park covering around 100,000 hectares and the rehabilitation of approximately 225 hectares of wetlands and oasis ecosystems.