Somalia: Somalia Attempts to Revive Lands Blighted by Deforestation

Jun 14, 2022 | UN Environment Program
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Acacia trees, slow-growing hardwoods, play a pivotal role in Somalia’s hot and arid climate. They improve soil fertility by storing water, fixing nitrogen, a key fertilizer, and reducing surface run-off and soil erosion during the rainy season. However, a booming illicit trade in charcoal – the substance is made from burning wood – is decimating the trees. A recent study put the annual rate of decline of one threatened species, Acacia bussei, as high as 5 per cent. Areas particularly affected are Jubaland, Sool Sanaag and Buhoodle.