Land cover changes of Atewa Range Forest Reserve, a biodiversity hotspot in Ghana

Abstract

Protected forests are areas of economic, social, and ecological significance which often depict the original fauna and flora of a region. Notwithstanding their significance, anthropogenic disturbances pose a major threat to the conservation of protected forests in Ghana. The Atewa Range Forest Reserve is a Globally Significant Biodiversity Area (GSBA) and an Important Bird Area in Ghana, but illegal mining and agriculture activities are depleting the vegetation of the reserve. The present study examined land cover change in the Atewa Range Forest Reserve using Remote Sensing and GIS methods. A vegetation study was also conducted to reveal the tree species diversity of Atewa. The image classification revealed that Closed Forest area of the reserve had increased by 10.5%, Opened Forest area had decreased by -24.0% and shrub/herb area also decreased by -37.1% between 1990 and 2021. On the contrary, bare/build-up area had increased by 243.7% between 1990 and 2021. A total of 102 tree species belonging to 33 families were identified in the reserve of which, an estimated 12% of these species are either vulnerable or near threatened based on the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (ICUN) red list. The study concludes that bare/build-up areas within the reserve are increasing at a quicker pace which is a threat to the shrub/herb and opened forest covers and will subsequently affect the quality of the closed forest cover if left unchecked. Care and special attention are needed to prevent species which are either vulnerable or near threatened from getting extinct. Forest Services Division and Traditional authorities should strengthen law enforcement of anthropogenic exploitation to help protect the reserve.