Land use land cover change and intensity analysis of land transformation in and around a moist semi-deciduous forest in Ghana

Abstract

Land use land cover change, particularly deforestation has significant implications for global climate and socioecological systems as well as resulting ecosystem services from natural systems. In Ghana, the demand for fuel, food, and fibre is projected to be the driver of significant expansion of Croplands/mixed vegetation, resulting in degradation and deforestation of natural ecosystems. This research presents a spatiotemporal analysis of land use/cover change in the Bobiri forest and its surrounding areas in Ghana’s moist semi-deciduous forest zone. The study aims to investigate the specific changes in dominant land use land cover (LULC) types in the area using land intensity analyses and to analyse the prevalence of deforestation leakage across the Bobiri Forest Reserve (BFR, a protected area) and its surrounding environs from 1986 and 2022. The study used measured land-cover changes at different levels, including intervals, categories, and transitions. The analysis revealed significant changes in land use intensity across different land classes in the area. The overall rate of land use and land cover change exhibited acceleration, indicating extensive land development throughout the studied periods. Notably, Croplands/mixed vegetation and non-vegetated areas experienced the most gains, while the closed forest class consistently declined. Transitions from forests to Croplands/mixed vegetation were observed, highlighting the conversion of natural vegetation for agricultural purposes. Additionally, the results reveal ongoing leakages in the buffer zone of the BFR as compared to the forest reserve with an annual deforestation rate of (0.64 %) and (0.06 %) respectively from 1986 to 2022, with non-vegetated areas and croplands/mixed vegetation dominating the periphery of protected forest areas. The study recommends implementing policy measures specifically geared towards protecting the buffer zone within a 10 km radius. This is particularly important to the entire buffer zone of the protected area (PA) which is facing deforestation leakage, posing a substantial threat to conservation efforts by exposing the PA to various climatic threats.