Changes In Forest Area Research Articles

Recent Recovery of the World’s Rarest Primate Is Not Directly Linked to Increasing Habitat Quality

Due to habitat loss and hunting, the Hainan gibbon (Nomascus hainanus), the world’s rarest primate, was reduced to only two social groups and seven known individuals in 1978. Following the establishment of Bawangling National Natural Reserve (BNNR), gibbon forest habitat increased within this landscape from 56 km2 in 1980 to 300 km2, and the species had increased to five groups and 35 individuals by 2021. It is important to assess whether the large increase in habitat area was responsible for gibbon population increase, or whether gibbon recovery was associated with other factors. Here we use a 21-year longitudinal dataset of Hainan gibbon population change and habitat change, combined with vegetation survey plot data for 2021, to establish an accurate distribution baseline for natural tropical broadleaf forest across the BNNR landscape from 400 to 1300 m (the elevational range of gibbons at BNNR) and within the home range for each of the five Hainan gibbon social groups. We then utilized Landsat time-series images and analysis to compute non-linear causal relationships between forest dynamics and gibbon population growth from 2000 to 2021, both across BNNR and within each gibbon group home range. Metrics of forest dynamics include change in total forest area and forest fragmentation, and metrics of gibbon population dynamics include variation in total number of individuals for the entire population and within each social group, and variation in total number of groups. Our results demonstrate that overall gibbon population growth shows a positive relationship with improved habitat quality, with a one-year time lag of population response. However, changes in numbers of individuals within social groups do not show a similar relationship with improving habitat quality, suggesting that increasing forest cover and connectivity within the BNNR landscape are not direct determinants of Hainan gibbon recovery and that other environmental and/or anthropogenic factors are likely to be involved.

Spatial model of forest area designation and function based on multi-criteria in dry land and mangrove forest ecosystems, Central Sulawesi, Indonesia

Abstract. Akhbar, Naharuddin, Arianingsih I, Misrah, Akhbar RK. 2022. Spatial model of forest area designation and function based on multi-criteria in dry land and mangrove forest ecosystems, Central Sulawesi, Indonesia. Biodiversitas 23: 3620-3630. Along with the dynamics of rapid social change and the need for land for economic development, land and climate parameters on changes in the designation and function of forest areas, it is time to integrate with socio-economic parameters and government policies while still paying attention to the condition of existing forest vegetation cover. This study aimed to develop a spatial analysis model of changes in the designation and function of forest areas based on multi-criteria in dry land and mangrove forest ecosystems. The research used a descriptive-spatial method with a multi-criteria-based decision-making technique for changes in the designation and function of forest areas. The data analysis utilizes Geographic Information System. The motivation for the proposed forest area change is the target to be achieved in the multi-criteria decision analysis. This research resulted in a spatial analysis approach that integrates scoring techniques and multi-criteria-based decision-making techniques. In Locus BL_010, a change in the function of forest area can be generated, while in Locus TL_003 a decision is made to change the allocation and function of forest area. The achievement of multi-criteria-based spatial analysis on changes in the designation and function of forest areas is quite flexible in decision making because each proposed motivational target will be achieved if it is in accordance with the established criteria and field facts.

Features of the Development of the Forest Industry and Forestry in Russia and Abroad

he decrease in the size of the world's forest area is a cause for concern. Therefore, it is necessary to study the dynamics of the world's forests and the reasons for deforestation. We used quantitative and qualitative data to evaluate the dynamics and trends in the growth of world forests. The study examined specifics of forest growth conditions around the globe over a thirty-year period employing statistical research methods. We analyzed the tendencies of changes in forest areas by continents and identified countries and continents with the largest increase and decrease in forest areas. Since deforestation and reforestation are the main components that affect the size and change of forest spaces, the paper clarified the conceptual apparatus. In addition, the author highlighted specifics of deforestation in different hemispheres. This approach varies from those of the FAO, which claims that there is no deforestation in the northern countries, since there is no massive clearing of forests for agriculture, and most clearings and burnt areas quickly regrow. To characterize the productivity of forests we considered some indicators as the main parameters. Analysis of the change in the carbon stock in the world's forests, the dynamics of the main indicators of the productivity of the world's forests by continent for 1990–2020. made it possible to analyze the main trends in their change and draw appropriate conclusions. It allows us to correct the forest management system for preserving forest spaces and increasing the productivity of forests.

Fractal analysis of spatio-temporal changes of forest cover in Istanbul, Turkey

In this study, the spatio-temporal changes in forest cover in Istanbul, one of the provinces with the most changes in forest areas in Turkey due to the pressure of urbanization and industrialization, were investigated using fractal analysis. The areal changes and changes in spatial patterns were determined to assess the spatio-temporal changes in the period 2000–2017. Fragmentation/compactness and heterogeneity/homogeneity of forest cover were determined by fractal dimension and lacunarity index, respectively. The results show that the forest areas have significantly decreased and become more fragmented and heterogeneous. In conclusion, this study reveals that fractal analysis can provide considerable information in the examination and interpretation of spatial changes in forest areas.

Investigating sacred natural sites and protected areas for forest area changes in Italy

AbstractForests will be critical to mitigate the effects of climate and global changes. Therefore, knowledge on the drivers of forest area changes are important. Although the drivers of deforestation are well known, drivers of afforestation are almost unexplored. Moreover, protected areas (PAs) effectively decrease deforestation, but other types of area‐based conservation measures exist. Among these, sacred natural sites (SNS) deliver positive conservation outcomes while making up an extensive “shadow network” of conservation. However, little is known on the capacity of SNS to regulate land‐use changes. Here, we explored the role of SNS and PAs as drivers of forest loss and forest gain in Italy between 1936 and 2018. We performed a descriptive analysis and modeled forest gain and forest loss by means of spatial binomial generalized linear models with residual autocovariates. The main drivers of forest area changes were geographical position and elevation, nonetheless SNS and PAs significantly decreased forest loss and increased forest gain. Although the negative relationship between SNS and forest loss is a desirable outcome, the positive relationship with forest gain is concerning because it could point to abandonment of cultural landscapes with consequent loss of open habitats. We suggest a legal recognition of SNS and an active ecological monitoring and planning to help maintain their positive role in biodiversity conservation. As a novel conservation planning approach, SNS can be used as stepping stones between PAs increasing connectivity and also to conserve small habitat patches threatened by human activities.

Estimation of baseline emissions, forest reference emission level, and carbon removals due to forest area changes in Afghanistan between 1993 and 2030

To benefit from reducing deforestation under the Paris Agreement, developing countries need to establish a forest reference emission level (FREL) but no FREL study exists in Afghanistan yet. This study is aim at determining the FREL for Afghanistan between 2020 and 2030 using the retrospective and prospective approaches. Data of forest area in 1993 and 2010 and a Tier-2 emission factor were used to obtain the baseline emissions in closed forest, open forest, undifferentiated open forest, and high shrubs. Carbon stocks in four carbon pools were considered. Loss of closed forest emitted approximately 7.2 TgCO 2 year −1 , while increase in areas of other forest categories resulted in carbon sequestration of approximately 2.6 TgCO 2 year −1 between 1993 and 2010. Depending on the chosen approaches, FRELs in Afghanistan can range from 1.3 TgCO 2 year −1 for retrospective approach to as high as 2.3 TgCO 2 year −1 for prospective approach between 2020 and 2030. Enhancement of carbon stocks and reducing deforestation could achieve emission reductions amounting up to 36.4% of the total emissions in Afghanistan. This study was the first attempt to determine the national FREL in Afghanistan, paving the way for understanding the impacts of future development on deforestation and carbon emissions in this country.

Estimating regional timber supply and forest carbon sequestration under shared socioeconomic pathways: A case study of Maine, USA

This study provides a regional model framework to evaluate timber supply and carbon impacts of environmental and socioeconomic change in Maine, USA. We construct alternative future narratives that vary economic growth, forest management, and environmental policies and then conduct econometric analysis to project forest area and timber supply over the next 80 years under five shared socioeconomic pathways (SSPs). Forest area changes from 2020–2100 ranged from a 11% decline in SSP3 (regional rivalry) to 0.2% for SSP1 (sustainability). Maine’s forest carbon stocks and timber supply can still mutually increase before 2070 for all pathways, largely due to improvements in forest management, growth, and yield. Overall timber supply is projected to increase by 0.21–0.51% per annum, with supply expanding faster for pathways with higher timber price growth. Total forest carbon stocks (ecosystem and products) are projected to increase 0.40–0.64%/yr for similar reasons. Sensitivity analysis indicated the key drivers most likely to affect Maine’s forest sector are timber prices, population change, personal income, land value, and conservation land area. This study offers valuable insight on possible methods about region-specific socio-economic assessments.

Tree growth response to drought partially explains regional-scale growth and mortality patterns in Iberian forests.

Tree-ring data has been widely used to inform about tree growth responses to drought at the individual scale, but less is known about how tree growth sensitivity to drought scales up driving changes in forest dynamics. Here, we related tree-ring growth chronologies and stand-level forest changes in basal area from two independent data sets to test if tree-ring responses to drought match stand forest dynamics (stand basal area growth, ingrowth, and mortality). We assessed if tree growth and changes in forest basal area covary as a function of spatial scale and tree taxa (gymnosperm or angiosperm). To this end, we compared a tree-ring network with stand data from the Spanish National Forest Inventory. We focused on the cumulative impact of drought on tree growth and demography in the period 1981-2005. Drought years were identified by the Standardized Precipitation Evapotranspiration Index, and their impacts on tree growth by quantifying tree-ring width reductions. We hypothesized that forests with greater drought impacts on tree growth will also show reduced stand basal area growth and ingrowth and enhanced mortality. This is expected to occur in forests dominated by gymnosperms on drought-prone regions. Cumulative growth reductions during dry years were higher in forests dominated by gymnosperms and presented a greater magnitude and spatial autocorrelation than for angiosperms. Cumulative drought-induced tree growth reductions and changes in forest basal area were related, but initial stand density and basal area were the main factors driving changes in basal area. In drought-prone gymnosperm forests, we observed that sites with greater growth reductions had lower stand basal area growth and greater mortality. Consequently, stand basal area, forest growth, and ingrowth in regions with large drought impacts was significantly lower than in regions less impacted by drought. Tree growth sensitivity to drought can be used as a predictor of gymnosperm demographic rates in terms of stand basal area growth and ingrowth at regional scales, but further studies may try to disentangle how initial stand density modulates such relationships. Drought-induced growth reductions and their cumulative impacts have strong potential to be used as early-warning indicators of regional forest vulnerability.

Identification of mangrove forest changes used Geographic Information System (GIS) in South Banawa District, Donggala Regency

This research was motivated by changes in mangrove forest areas in Central Sulawesi Province, Donggala Regency, especially South Banawa District. The objective of the research is to analyze the change of mangrove forests in the district of South Banawa years 2002-2018 and to determine the dominant factors influencing the change of mangrove forests. This study uses a quantitative approach combining geographic information systems and remote sensing, using overlay and descriptive analysis. Results from research this showing that the mangrove forest in the district South Banawa years 2002-2018 decline area amounting to 47.59 hectares, which was originally large mangrove forest 261.32 hectares to 213.73 hectares on in 2018. The Changing of mangrove forests to fishponds is a dominant factor in the change of mangrove forests when compared to other changes.

Forest Transitions in the United States, France and Austria: dynamics of forest change and their socio- metabolic drivers

ABSTRACT Understanding the drivers of forest transitions is relevant to inform effective forest conservation. We investigate pathways of forest transitions in the United States (1920–2010), France (1850–2010), and Austria (1830–2010). By combining evidence from forest inventories with the forest model CRAFT, we first quantify how change in forest area (ΔA), maximum biomass density (ΔBdmax ), and actual biomass as fraction of maximum biomass (ΔFmax ) shaped forest dynamics. Second, to investigate the connections between forest change and societal resource use, or social metabolism, we quantify the importance of selected proximate and underlying socio-metabolic drivers. We find that agricultural intensification and reduced forest grazing correlated most with positive ΔA and ΔBdmax . By contrast, change in biomass imports or harvest did not explain forest change. Our findings highlight the importance of forest growth conditions in explaining long-term forest dynamics, and demonstrate the distinct ways in which resource use drove forest change.

滇金丝猴分布区森林面积变化的时空特征及其影响因素

森林生态系统是滇金丝猴(Rhinopithecus bieti)的主要生境, 森林面积变化会直接影响滇金丝猴的生存。本研究基于全球森林变化(Global Forest Change)数据, 采用Theil-Sen趋势分析和Mann-Kendall检验、热点分析与地理探测器模型等方法, 探讨了滇金丝猴分布区2001—2019年森林面积变化的时空特征及其影响因素。结果表明：(1)近20年间, 滇金丝猴分布区森林面积变化总量为3.81×10⁴ hm², 约占研究区森林面积的2.44%, 逐年森林面积变化呈现较大的年际波动, 其中5个保护地森林面积变化总量达5456 hm², 约占研究区森林面积变化总量的14.3%, 老君山风景区和云岭保护区森林面积变化的比例较高；(2)滇金丝猴分布区森林面积变化趋于缓和, 其中森林面积减少呈现显著增加的区域面积为1.03×10⁵ hm², 占整个研究区面积的2.9%；森林面积减少呈现显著减少的区域面积为3.05×10⁵ hm², 占整个研究区面积的7.9%；同时森林面积变化的热点区域面积呈不断下降的趋势；(3)滇金丝猴分布区森林面积变化呈现向低海拔、高坡度转移的趋势；(4)过火面积和人口密度是滇金丝猴分布区森林面积变化的主要影响因素, 其次是降水、海拔、气温。本研究对滇金丝猴分布区森林生态系统管理与滇金丝猴保护具有现实意义。;Forest ecosystem is main habitat of Yunnan snub-nosed monkey (Rhinopithecus bieti) (YSM). The change of forest area is considered to be a direct impact to YSM existence. Based on Global Forest Change data, using Theil-Sen trend analysis, Mann-Kendall test, hotspot analysis and geographical detector model, this research discussed the spatio-temporal characteristics and determinants of forest area change in the distribution area of YSM from 2001 to 2019. The results showed that: (1) During the past 20 years, the total forest area change in the distribution area of YSM was 3.81×10⁴ hm², about 2.44% of the total forest area in the study area, annual forest area change showed a large inter-annual fluctuation, in which 5456 hm² forest area change in 5 protected areas, accounting for 14.3% of the total forest area change in the study area. Forest area change ratio was relatively higher in Laojunshan scenic spot and Yunling nature reserve. (2) Forest area change trended to mitigate in the distribution area of YSM. The significantly increasing area of forest loss was 1.03×10⁵ hm², accounting for 2.9% of the whole study area. The significantly decreasing area of forest loss was 3.05×10⁵ hm², accounting for 7.9% of the whole study area. At the same time, the hotspot areas of forest area change showed a decreasing trend. (3) Forest area change showed a trend of shifting to low altitude and high slope area in the distribution area of YSM. (4) The burned area and population density were main impact factors of forest area change in the distribution area of YSM, followed by precipitation, altitude and temperature. This study has practical significance for forest ecosystem management and YSM conservation.

Research and Application of Carbon Storage Prediction and Management Evaluation Model

Firstly, based on CASA model and LULC data, this paper establishes a carbon sequestration and oxygen release service model. By estimating the carbon storage in different regions, the effect of influencing factors on carbon sequestration is obtained. Establish a differential equation to fit the amount of carbon dioxide storage, and compare the impact of different management methods on carbon storage. The results showed that under the constraints of UN indicators, the weight of the impact of reasonable forest breeding on carbon sequestration was 0.401, higher than other indicators. Secondly, a tree cutting decision-making model is established in combination with tree growth characteristics and ecological and economic benefits to obtain the expression of ecological and economic benefits and the carbon sequestration stock of trees under the optimal cutting cycle. By analyzing the operation of the management mode, it is found that the management mode is the acquisition of ecological forest system, and the combination of forest compensation and gradual cutting has the maximum benefit. Fitting can get that there is no case that no cutting is allowed. Finally, based on the existing data, the time series analysis is established to obtain the change curve of carbon sequestration and the change of forest area.

SWAT model-based quantification of the impact of land-use change on forest-regulated water flow

For most watersheds, land-use change leads to changes in forest-regulated water flow, not only in relation to changes in forest area, but also in relation to conversion of forest and other land-use types. To reveal the impacts of land-use change on forest-regulated water flow, this study proposes computational formulas for multi-time scale analysis of the regulated water flow in a watershed with various land-use types, whose spatial distribution is discontinuous in the hydrological response unit (HRU) scale using the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT). The impacts of land-use change on forest-regulated water flow were then computed with the formulas and a transfer matrix between the forest and other land-use types. The Jinjiang River Watershed which covers an area of approximately 5042 km2 in the southeast coast of China, was selected as the study area and the results showed that (1) The annual forest-regulated water flow in the Jinjiang River Basin was 271.41–565.25 mm. The monthly flow ranged from −29.15 mm to 154.59 mm, which was positive for most months of the year. The forest-regulated water flow was positive in extreme precipitation period, and negative in extremely dry period. Forest-regulated water flow significantly varied with various time scales. (2) During 1985–2006, The forest area in the Jinjiang River basin decreased from 3094.84 km2 to 2805.81 km2, which led to a reduction of 44.99–83.51 mm in annual, 0.54–6.36 mm in monthly, and 0.73–5.30 mm in daily forest-regulated water flow, respectively and (3) the proposed method is suitable for multi-time scale analysis of regulated water flow of various land-use types whose spatial distribution is discontinuous in a watershed. It provides a newer approach for evaluating the impacts of land-use changes on water flow regulation function in watersheds with respect to separate land-use types and their spatial conversions.

Forest area changes throughout the years in Bjelovarsko-Bilogorska County

The results of forest cover reduction were obtained using raster data and administrative borders for the Republic of Croatia. Examples are taken from other countries to compare the results and show the reduction of cover, both forest and agricultural. The first part of this paper describes the situation in the Republic of Croatia, where Ministry of Environmental Protection provided analysis. The condition of land cover in the Republic of Croatia is presented. The second part of this paper is a description of the task development process in the software package "QGIS". From adding CLC raster data to, the actions performed in the program that were performed until the results arrived. Finally, the interpretation of the obtained data and the conclusion follow.

Effects of forest growth in different vegetation communities on forest catchment water balance

Forest ecosystems are critical for adjusting the dynamic balance of the hydrological cycle. This balance is affected by vegetation community types, phenology, and forest density. Previous long-term catchment-scale model studies have focused on changes in forest areas while ignoring the above factors. Since the 1980s, climate change caused by increases in atmospheric CO2 levels has enhanced forest growth. Moreover, amendments to forest management policies, including intermediate cuttings caused by economic factors, have yielded unprecedented changes in forest ecosystems. In this study, we designed a methodology and created a credible model using the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) that can precisely reflect water balance variations caused by different ecosystem situations during long-term changes in forest density. We focused on the Yamato River catchment in Western Japan, which includes three planted forests and one primeval forest, each markedly different with respect to vegetation community composition and management policy. In the process, we examined the ratio of coniferous vegetation and broad-leaved vegetation in different forest areas, used remote sensing methods to quantify the maximum and minimum leaf area index (LAI) of each forest region over 40 years, and calibrated the model by comparing the LAI growth curve, evapotranspiration, and streamflow with observed data. Moreover, we separated the decadal canopy evaporation, transpiration, and soil evaporation from the SWAT output results. We found that (1) forest evapotranspiration has increased in recent decades because of the above reasons; (2) in young or well-managed forests, the forest water balance may have changed significantly with forest growth. For long-term studies, it is necessary to distinguish the growth characteristics of different forests during different periods, and a detailed definition of a mixed forest is required. The forest parameters and growth characteristics are critical for understanding forest ecosystems and cannot be ignored at catchment-scale.

Altered growth conditions more than reforestation counteracted forest biomass carbon emissions 1990\u20132020

Understanding the carbon (C) balance in global forest is key for climate-change mitigation. However, land use and environmental drivers affecting global forest C fluxes remain poorly quantified. Here we show, following a counterfactual modelling approach based on global Forest Resource Assessments, that in 1990–2020 deforestation is the main driver of forest C emissions, partly counteracted by increased forest growth rates under altered conditions: In the hypothetical absence of changes in forest (i) area, (ii) harvest or (iii) burnt area, global forest biomass would reverse from an actual cumulative net C source of c. 0.74 GtC to a net C sink of 26.9, 4.9 and 0.63 GtC, respectively. In contrast, (iv) without growth rate changes, cumulative emissions would be 7.4 GtC, i.e., 10 times higher. Because this sink function may be discontinued in the future due to climate-change, ending deforestation and lowering wood harvest emerge here as key climate-change mitigation strategies.

Nagydobrony és a Nagydobronyi Vadvédelmi Rezervátum (Kárpátalja) földrajzinévtárának elkészítése és ábrázolása történeti térképek alapján

The Wildlife Reserve of Velyka Dobron – which is located next to the village of Velyka Dobron (Hungarian: Nagydobrony), the fourth most populous Hungarian community in Transcarpathia – is the third-largest protected reserve of national importance in the country. We used a Geographic Information System to process and map the historical geographical place names of the settlement and the protected area (pieces of land within the cadastral boundaries but located either outside the settlement boundary or on its outskirts) based on the 1st, 2nd and 3rd military surveys, a cadastral map dating back to 1865 and the documents available in the Beregszász branch of the State Archives of Transcarpathian Oblast (fonds 125, description 6, file 344), as well as literary materials. As a result, a database comprising a list of 57 place names of the area was compiled. Likewise, a map of the pieces of land within the former cadastral boundaries and in the Nagydobron’ Wildlife Reserve was made. Analysis of forest area and land use changes showed that 16 pieces of land within the cadastral boundaries, but located either outside the settlement boundary or on its outskirts, have completely lost their former nature and as a result became part of the inner area of the settlement. Consequently, the compiled database and maps may help to specify the location of the ongoing research and clarify the accurate place of the earlier studies.

Forest expansion in mountain protected areas: Trends and consequences for the landscape

Mountain regions in Western Europe have gone through a massive rural–urban migration and the collapse of their traditional socioeconomic system. As a result, forest has occupied many old pastures and croplands. In protected areas – such as National Parks – changes in the landscape can affect biodiversity and other services, including the values that motivated their declaration. Any policy decision in these areas requires quantifying the extent and impact of land-cover changes and their consequences on landscape structure and functioning. In this study we analyze the patterns of change in forest cover during six decades in three mountain National Parks in Spain. Our aim is to quantify those patterns, their effects on the landscape, and discuss the potential consequences for the main natural values and services. We assessed changes in forest cover through reclassification of aerial ortophotographs taken in 1956–57 (past images) and 2016–17 (recent images). The three Parks show a relatively low change in total forest area (+5–10%), and a much larger increase in dense forest (+20–30%), with an important effect of land-use legacies, and similar patterns of landscape homogenization. There were fewer but larger forest patches in 2016 than in 1956, and most of the gain in dense forest occurred in core areas (+20%), while transition areas such as edges, bridges or loops decreased between 30 and 55%. Given their potential consequences on biodiversity and other services, these patterns of land-cover change and landscape configuration should be explicitly considered when designing the sustainable management of abandoned landscapes in protected areas.

Long-Term Changes in the Land–Ocean Ecological Environment in Small Island Countries in the South Pacific: A Fiji Vision

Small island countries in the South Pacific are ecologically fragile areas, vulnerable to climate change, and the long-term ecological changes in the sea and land have an important impact on their sustainable development. This study takes Fiji, a typical small island country in the South Pacific, as an example, to analyze the change and connection of marine and terrestrial ecosystem environments based on 30 years of multi-source, satellite, remote-sensing data. From 1991 to 2019, according to the change in forest area in Fiji, three stages were delineated: first was a period of stability, then a decrease, and then a recovery in recent years. From 1991 to 2002, Fiji’s vegetation accounted for 73% of the total area; sea environment surrounding the islands, such as sea level height and sea surface temperature, were relatively low, with high water transparency. From 2002 to 2014, with the development of forestry and tourism, vegetation decreased by 6.89% and bare land increased, which changes the runoff erosion in the drainage basin; correspondingly, the chlorophyll a concentration in three major estuaries was found to be slightly increased with low water transparency. Meanwhile, coupled with the rising sea temperature, the area of Fiji’s coral reefs shrank significantly, with 51.13% of the total loss of coral reefs occurring in the Vanua Levu, where bare land and runoff were more distributed in its drainage basin. From 2014 to 2019, Fiji’s vegetation and coral reef areas recovered from the former stage; affected by short-term climate oscillations such as El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO), the sea surface temperature showed a significant abnormal drop and the water transparency decreased. In the past 30 years (1993–2018), the sea level rise rate around Fiji reached 4 mm/year, and the temperature increased by 0.3 °C, which threatens the coastal ecosystem environment, including coral reefs and mangrove; inappropriate land-use change would worsen the situation in these ecologically fragile areas.

The Fast Track Land Reform Programme and its effect on the loss of forests: the case of the Mafungabusi Forest Reserve in Zimbabwe

Land reform in Zimbabwe, commonly known as the Fast Track Land Reform Programme (FTLRP), was established in early 2000. Since the inception of the FTRLP, loss of forests and biodiversity has been on the rise. In this paper, an analysis of the rate of forest loss pre-FTLRP, during and post-FTLRP to date (1995–2019) is presented for the Mafungabusi Forest Reserve. Data were collected from semi-structured questionnaires, interviews, satellite imagery and fieldwork. Land Cover, Land-Use Change Maps were obtained from supervised classification of satellite imagery and regression graphs for the rate of change of forest area were also obtained. Results show that the forested areas decreased at a rate of 308 ha per year (2.4%) during the FTLRP and at a rate of 481 ha per year (5.2%) post FTLRP. The inception of FTLRP and the withdrawal of funds to support the Community Involvement in Forest Management (CIFM) resulted in forest loss as the population grew and demand for land increased. Given the current rate of forest loss, the Mafungabusi Forest will probably disappear in the next 20 years if no measures are taken to reduce the rate of forest loss. Thus, there is need for the Zimbabwe Forestry Commission, Environmental Management Agency and other relevant stakeholders to engage resettled farmers in sustainable co-management of natural resources. Such efforts will help in combating effects of climate change and conserving biodiversity.