Degradation of the vegetation in Northern Syria: past and present

Introduction It is well known that much of the Near Eastern vegetation is heavily degraded and this degradation is ongoing. The principal culprits are over-grazing by domestic herds, fuel-gathering, extensive ploughing and intentional burning. The increase in Syria’s population from 6,380,609 in 1970 to 23,594,623 in 2023 has intensified human impact. The sheep population in the Syrian steppe increased more than seven times between 1950 and 2007, partly in order to satisfy high demand for mu...