In Algeria, severe deforestation and degradation threaten nearly half of the country's rich flora. Climate change and anthropic activities further exacerbate these threats through an increase in forest fires. These forest fires contribute to greenhouse gas emissions, disrupt or degrade ecosystem services, and negatively impact people's livelihoods. Additionally, they cost the country between US$15 to 19 million in losses through the commercial value of wood and cork. A 2021 World Bank diagnostic highlighted that (i) more than 99 percent of Algeria's wooded areas are at risk; (ii) fire events have been increasing since 2010, with the monitoring season now extending through the end of November as opposed to the end of October; and (iii) from 2010-2019, there was an average of 3,000 outbreaks over an area of approximately 32,000 hectares. 

Under this knowledge program, PROGREEN supported sustainable forest landscape planning and management to address the risks associated with forest fires in Algeria. PROGREEN activities supported the Government of Algeria in building institutional and technical capacity for sustainable forest management, including direct support in effective forest fire management approaches and practices. 

This activity closed in Fiscal Year 2024 with a published Note on Algerian Forests: Sustainable Forest Management to Combat Forest Fires. The World Bank, the General Directorate of Forests (DGF), and the National Delegation on Major Risks (DNRM) co-produced the report. A dedicated launch event was organized in Algiers in November 2023 to bring together all key stakeholders. Similar outreach and dissemination events were held at the regional level, in the Center (wilaya of Boumerdès), in the East (wilaya of Jijel), and in the West (wilaya of Tlemcen), with more than 300 participants. Moreover, PROGREEN supported the delivery of three capacity-building events at the national and sub-national levels in Algeria, France, and Lebanon to strengthen knowledge exchange within the region.  

Overall, the program strengthened the World Bank's partnership with the Government of Algeria. PROGREEN helped the DGF review the Forest Law adopted in December 2023.