The key problem is population growth in the surrounding rain-rich highlands. They in turn push WaDatoga long term pastoralist occupants of the Eyasi area into the low hills favored by the Hadza. This leads to more burning, overgrazing, and especially lowering the water table around the main water holes by digging deep wells for cattle. Wild animals can no longer reach the water and they leave. In the 1970s and 1980s this range of hills supported a very rich fauna and flora.
Ground cover is cleared by overgrazing, scrub removed by burning, trees by felling.
The brief rains run off instantly, vegetation grows back less each yar. Already one can see mature trees dying and falling as the ground dries out. Dust storms have become frequent in some localities. But the bush could recover, animals move freely across the usually dry bed of Lake Eyasi and could easily restock the hills. The area has been an important wildlife corridor between existing conservation areas, especially for Elephants.