Deforestation in forest-savannah transition zone of Ghana: Boabeng-Fiema monkey sanctuary

Jonathan Arthur Quaye-Ballard,Bennetta Koomson,Afua Amponsah Amankwah,Douglas Siaw Baah,Alfred Awotwi,Richard Kwasi Amankwah,Bright O Kankam,Stephen Adu-Bredu,Nana Yeboaa Opuni-Frimpong

doi:10.1016/j.gecco.2020.e01440

Abstract

Forests provide many resources, ecosystem services and absorb carbon dioxide, which helps in climate regulation. In spite of the enormous benefits of forests, the issue of deforestation is still ongoing. There has been a continuous decline in forests globally and the forest area of Boabeng Fiema Monkey Sanctuary (BFMS) in Ghana is facing a similar threat. The aim of the study is to determine the different forest cover types and changes in the forest of BFMS. Satellite images for the years 1992, 1998, 2004, 2010, 2016 and 2018 were downloaded. Unsupervised and supervised classification were performed to determine the different forest cover types and remote sensing software was used to detect the changes in the forest cover. The forest cover was classified into six classes; closed forest, open forest, savannah woodland, savannah, farmlands and built-up area. Available data suggests that between 1992 and 2018, closed forest decreased by 242.19ha, open forest increased by 122.85 ha, savannah woodland increased by 7.47ha, savannah increased by 6.48 ha, farmland increased by 39.39ha and built-up area increased by 65.7ha. The changes in closed forest, open forest, farmland and built-up were all significant. Decreasing forest cover of BFMS is a threat to sustainable ecotourism since the forest serves as a habitat and food source to the monkeys. This research serves as guide to other researches aiming at determining forest cover changes in forest-savannah transition zones. In addition, the results have produced an inventory of the forest, which will help forest resource managers sustainably manage the forest.

Highlights

Forests cover one third of the world’s land surface and provides many resources (Chao, 2012)
When these forests are cleared as a result of deforestation and forest degradation, the carbon is converted to carbon dioxide into the atmosphere (Chave et al, 2005)
The REDD þ gave the same precedence as deforestation and forest degradation to prevention of carbon discharge from preservation of forest carbon stocks, sustainable management of forests and the enhancement of forest carbon stocks (Minang and Murphy, 2010)

Summary

Introduction

Forests cover one third of the world’s land surface and provides many resources (Chao, 2012). Monitoring and detecting changes in forest cover and mapping of forests are giant steps toward climate change mitigation (Vastaranta, 2012). The BFMS serves as a home to two species of primates (the ursine black and white colobus and the Campbell’s monkey) and the only place in Africa where the two different species of monkeys exist in large numbers and co-exist harmoniously with humans (Saj et al, 2006; Eshun and Tonto, 2014) It is a sacred grove, an important example of how traditional values in Ghana have helped in wildlife conservation (Fargey, 1992; Dudley et al, 2013)

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