Direct Measurement of Forest Degradation Rates in Malawi: Toward a National Forest Monitoring System to Support REDD+
Open accessAbstract
Spatial time-series measurements of forest degradation rates are important for estimating national greenhouse gas emissions but have been challenging for open forests and woodlands. This lack of quantitative data on forest degradation rates, location and biomass is an important constraint to developing national REDD+ policy. In Malawi, and in most countries in Africa, most assessments of forest cover change for carbon emissions monitoring tend to report only deforestation in the public forest estate managed by the government, even when important forest degradation also occurs in agricultural areas, such as customary forests and other tree-based systems. This study has resulted in: (a) a new robust forest map for Malawi, (b) spatial and quantitative measurements of both forest degradation and deforestation, and (c) a demonstration of the approach through the introduction of a tool that maps across the broad landscape of forests and trees outside of forests. The results can be used to support REDD+ National Forest Monitoring Systems. This analysis produces new estimates of landscape-wide deforestation rates between 2000–2009 (22,410 ha yr−1) and 2009–2015 (38,937 ha yr−1). We further produce new estimates of the rate of forest degradation between 2000–2009 (42,961 ha yr−1) and 2009–2015 (71,878 ha yr−1). The contribution of these new tools and estimates to capacities for calculating carbon emissions are important, increasing prospects for full REDD+ readiness across semi-arid Africa.
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The rates revealed in this study were higher than those obtained by global forest watch because global forest watch considered deforestation only in government forests, excluding agricultural lands and community forests.
“The rates revealed in this study were higher than those obtained by global forest watch since the study carried out by global forest watch considered deforestation only in government forests, excluding agricultural lands and community forests.”
From Strategies to achieve a carbon neutral society: a review (2022) · cites this paper as Skole et al. 2021
Deforestation rates in Malawi between 2000-2009 and 2009-2015 were 22,410 ha yr−1 and 38,937 ha yr−1, respectively.
“The analysis indicated that deforestation rates between 2000–2009 and 2009–2015 were 22,410 ha yr−1 and 38,937 ha yr−1, respectively.”
From Strategies to achieve a carbon neutral society: a review (2022) · cites this paper as Skole et al. 2021
Forest degradation rates in Malawi between 2000-2009 and 2009-2015 were 42,961 ha yr−1 and 71,878 ha yr−1, respectively.
“Additionally, the forest degradation rates between 2000–2009 and 2009–2015 were 42,961 ha yr−1 and 71,878 ha yr−1, respectively.”
From Strategies to achieve a carbon neutral society: a review (2022) · cites this paper as Skole et al. 2021
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Self-citation
- Authors
- Skole, D. L., Samek, J. H., Mbow, C., Chirwa, M., Ndalowa, D., Tumeo, T., Kachamba, D., Kamoto, J., Chioza, A., & Kamangadazi, F.
- Affiliations
- Michigan State University (US)
- University of Pretoria (ZA)
- Forestry Research Institute of Malawi (MW)
- Malawi College of Forestry and Wildlife (MW)
- Department of Forestry (MW)
- Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources (MW)
- Corresponding author
- Skole, David L.
- Venue
- Forests
- Publisher
- MDPI AG
- Published
- 2021-04-01
- Volume
- 12
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- 426
- ISSN
- 1999-4907 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W3141324578
- Cited by
- 28
- References
- 46
- Citations by year
- 2026: 7 · 2025: 7 · 2024: 5 · 2023: 3 · 2022: 5 · 2021: 1
- FWCI
- 1.43
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- gold
- doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- Forests (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
- UpSpace Institutional Repository (University of Pretoria) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
- Funders
- National Aeronautics and Space Administration (80NSSC21K0315)
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Global and Planetary Change › Conservation, Biodiversity, and Resource Management
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Global and Planetary Change › Forest Management and Policy
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Environmental Engineering › Remote Sensing and LiDAR Applications
- Keywords
- forest degradation, deforestation, REDD+, forest cover change, CO2 emissions, forest mapping, customary forest, agricultural landscapes, Malawi, greenhouse gas emissions
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