Impact of land use and climate change on forest reserves in Ghana

ABSTRACT

Using supervised classified Landsat 7 images ETM – 2000 and 2010 and Landsat 8 images – 2020, this study examines the various Land Use Land Cover Changes (LULCC) in the Bosomkese forest reserve in Ghana. The study recorded significant changes in all the various forest covers driven predominately by illegal logging, bushfires, illegal farming, and agricultural expansion projects within the reserve. These results suggest that there is a need for stringent punishment for culprits involved in forest illegalities, capacity-building interventions and participatory forest management by the Forestry Commission, environmental management institutions, and forest fringe communities to protect the forest reserve.

KEYWORDS:

• Forest reserve management
• forest cover change
• rural land uses
• local environmental change
• forest fringe communities
• Bosomkese Forest Reserve

Acknowledgments

The researchers thank the officials of the Forest Services Division of the Forestry Commission of Ghana, National Disaster Management Organization and Environmental Protection Agency, the community leaders and participants of the FGDs for their participation in the study.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).