usaid/nambia environmental threats and opportunities assessment

Figure 17. Distribution of forests and d woodlands in Namibia.
(Source: Mendelsohn & el Obeid 2006)
Fire is a third major factor affecting
the distribution and abundance of trees. Its most important effect is
in limiting
the growth of young trees and in killing older and larger ones, keeping woodlands more open
and savanna-like. Fires are more prevalent in higher rainfall areas since grass cover is needed as fuel.
The other
impact of fires is on the species composition, as some species are more vulnerable to fires
than others, and their numbers are greatly reduced in areas where fires aree frequent. A high percentage
of Namibia’s northeastt burns every
year: in a five-year period, 43% of Caprivi and 34%
of Kavango
burnt each
year (Mendelsohn & el Obeid 2005). The central parts of the country burn much less
frequently, depending on the amount of grass fuel (largely determined by the previous season’s rainfall),
while fires
hardly ever occur in the southern and
western areas where there is not the grass to sustain
them.
IMPORTANT FOREST AND WOODLAND AREAS
The significant forests and woodlands are:
70 USAID/NAMIBIA ENVIRONMENTAL THREATS AND OPPORTUNITIES ASSESSMENT