Exploring Drivers of Forest Degradation and Fragmentation in Sudan: The Case of Erawashda Forest and its Surrounding Community

Abstract

Sudan is a hot spot for forest degradation. Efforts to maintain what remains of its forests should be of the highest priority. However, precise information on its forests' current state is very limited. Therefore, in order to effectively intervene in support of existing resources, it is important to have a better understanding of processes taking place in the country and impacting those resources. The objectives of this study are to quantify the consequences of land use and land cover (LULC) changes on forest degradation and fragmentation and to analyze the anthropogenic factors causing it, taking Erawashda Forest, eastern Sudan, as an example. The study utilized a series of Landsat imageries, field surveys and interviews with informants to analyze the decrease in forest cover. The years between 1973 and 2015 saw a 16.9% and 5.4% increase in bare land and large-scale mechanized agriculture respectively. During the same period there was a 37% decrease in dense forest cover and a 20% increase in light forest cover. The trajectory analysis showed that all LULC categories are subjected to very rapid changes from one class to another throughout the period of the study and the most dynamic class is light forest cover. Computed fragmentation indices showed that large core is the dominant category. Key informants identified the main factors of degradation and fragmentation as the expansion of mechanized rain-fed agriculture, felling of trees and wood cutting, bad grazing activities, and construction of infrastructure. Information garnered from this study can provide a good basis for forest rehabilitation programs and can also be used for developing proper management plans that take into account the needs of the communities utilizing the forest.