The Changing Landscape of Bilate: How Deforestation Affects Climate

Did you know that how we use our land can greatly affect the climate? Let's take a look at the Bilate Watershed in Ethiopia. From 1994 to 2024, there have been big changes in how people use the land. Forests have been disappearing fast, with around 4681. 2 hectares lost each year between 2014 and 2024. At the same time, farms have been growing by about 1141 hectares a year, and cities have been expanding by 24. 3 hectares annually.

Scientists used satellite pictures and weather data to figure out what's happening. They found that rainfall is going down in the upper parts of the watershed, especially during certain seasons. For example, Bega season saw a decrease of 3. 819 mm, Belg season of 7. 972 mm, and Kiremt season of 7. 117 mm. Meanwhile, the lower parts of the watershed are getting more rain during the Belg season, up by 6. 424 mm. This shows that water isn't being shared evenly across the watershed. It's also getting hotter in the upper parts of the watershed, with temperature increases of 0. 029°C during Bega, 0. 030°C during Belg, and 0. 018°C during Kiremt. The middle part is also warming up during Kiremt season by 0. 016°C. These changes in how land is used have a big impact on the local climate. It shows how important it is for people to manage land in a way that's sustainable and helps protect the environment.

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