A lesser-known treasure: new FAO report offers in depth look at South America’s dry lands
11th December, 2019, Santiago, Chile - The drylands of South America cover almost 545 million hectares, representing 31 percent of the region’s total land area and 9 percent of the global drylands, says the first global assessment on drylands.
The FAO report, Trees, forests and land use in drylands, provides a baseline for future monitoring and will support countries in their efforts to identify appropriate investments for the restoration and sustainable management of drylands.
Contrary to what people may think, drylands are not wastelands, but productive landscapes with considerable economic potential and environmental value; globally, they are home to an estimated 2 billion people, half the world's livestock, and more than a third of global biodiversity hotspots, and provide critical migration points for birds.
According to the FAO, South America’s drylands contain 199 million hectares of forest, which corresponds to 18 percent of the global dryland forest area and 5 percent of the global forest area, estimated at approximately 4 billion hectares.
“The dry forest of South America is less well known than the tropical rain forest, but 30 percent of the subregion’s population is located in drylands, so these regions are fundamental to the lives of millions, as the biodiversity located there is fundamental to cope with climate change, mainly associated with adaptation to water scarcity”, said Hivy Ortiz, FAO Forestry Officer.
Important dry forests in South America include the Tumbes-Piura dry forests in southern Ecuador and northwestern coastal Peru, which have a high level of species endemism; parts of the Tumbes-Chocó-Magdalena biodiversity hotspot in Colombia, Ecuador and northwestern Peru; the dry forests of the Patía, Magdalena and Cauca Valleys in Colombia.
What are the drylands of South America like?
The report warns that, according to satellite data, 3.8 percent of dry forest cover of South America disappeared between 2001 and 2010, mainly because of soya cultivation and livestock production.
The forest covers 37 percent of the dryland area of South America, while 240 million hectares have no trees.
The canopy cover in the dryland forests of South America is high: on average it reaches 80%, which means that much of the soil is covered by shade, which suggests the significant role of these forests as biological corridors.