Charcoal Production Research Articles

Wood and iron exploitation in the Pyrenean highlands during the Visigothic period: the case of the Puymorens pass and the Carol valley, France

The Puymorens iron mine is located at an altitude of between 2,100 and 2,200 m at the western edge of the Pyrénées-Orientales department (France), which is bordered by the Ariège department in France and Andorra to the west and Spain to the south. It is the highest-altitude iron ore exploitation in the Pyrenees mountains. A major transportation corridor facilitating the north to south crossing of the Pyrenean massif passes by the foot of the mine, from the Ariège valley to the Carol valley. The mine is known to have been in operation from the seventeenth century to the end of the 1960's, and it supplied ore to many modern smelting sites in Andorra, Catalonia and Ariège. New data acquired from the FEDER FERMAPYR and PCR FERAPO programs have enabled the identification of older ironworks in the neighboring Carol valley, which also used this ore and have been radiocarbon dated between the fourth and the sixth centuries. By placing this series of Visigothic smelting sites in their environmental context, we will be able to describe their technical specificities and the impetuses for the early exploitation of iron ore and wood at high altitudes in the Pyrenees. The study will be based as much on the results of archaeological excavations and surveys as well as on anthracology studies to understand the relation between iron ore smelting and the forest exploitation for charcoal production.

Assessing Conflicts in Forest Management Among Different User Groups: A Case Study of Mwekera Forest Reserve

Conflict resolution is a vital component of effective forest resource management, attracting the attention of various stakeholders in many protected forest areas in Zambia. Challenges in achieving peaceful resolutions, disputes over land control, over-exploitation of forests for charcoal production, and agricultural expansion have led to the shrinkage of forest areas. Effective conflict resolution strategies, institutional arrangements, and a thorough understanding of conflict sources are essential for maintaining healthy forests, fostering a peaceful society, and combating the impacts of climate change. While several researchers have studied conflict management in some protected areas across the country, few studies have focused specifically on conflict resolution and management in Mwekera Forest Reserve. This study aimed to understand conflicts in forest management among different user groups. A random sampling technique was employed, with one of the five communities in the area—Mabote—randomly selected for the study. Data was collected using a structured survey questionnaire, which included questions on the socio-demographic status of respondents, causes of conflicts, institutional arrangements in conflict management, and control measures in practice. Additionally, in-depth interviews with key informants were conducted to gather data not captured by the questionnaires. A total of 70 respondents from Mabote community participated in this study. The findings indicated that nearly half (46%) of respondents identified equitable benefit-sharing as crucial for conflict management in the forest reserve. This was followed by equal access to forest areas and products (28.4%), stakeholder engagement and participation (14.3%), and enhanced forest monitoring (9.2%). A smaller portion of respondents (2.1%) pointed to the need for improving laws and policies. The results suggest that current conflict management practices in the forest reserve are insufficient (46%) to ensure effective forest management, despite the increasing sources of conflict and forest degradation. The Forest Department emerged as the primary stakeholder in Mwekera Forest Reserve’s management, exercising total control, which has led to the exclusion of local communities from accessing the forest and its resources. Therefore, effective conflict resolution measures are essential to enable equitable resource access, sustainable forest management, and conflict mitigation in the reserve.

Multifaceted Assessment of Agricultural Extension in Conflict Affected Areas of Mindanao, Philippines

Agricultural extension in conflict affected areas has received limited research attention. Yet agricultural extension undertaken within a group–based facilitation framework can have many benefits via livelihood improvement, human and social capital development. In this paper, an extension model adapted for conflict affected areas is briefly described and then assessed from multiple viewpoints – physical, economic, lifestyle, social capital and environmental. This was done in two case study sites in conflict affected areas of Mindanao, Philippines. Major positive physical, economic and lifestyle changes were revealed at both case study sites, as were changes in knowledge, attitude, skills, and aspirations and social capital. Some positive environmental aspects were also noted. Income and savings were up 64 and 108 percent respectively, with those income changes being reflected in additional expenditures on basic items such as food clothing and education. Knowledge, attitudes skills and aspirations (which can be regarded as intermediate steps towards livelihood improvement) all increased substantially. Various social capital indicators were judged to have improved. From an environmental perspective, there were decreases in charcoal production and slash and burn activity. Tree planting and soil fertility increased. Most of these assessment parameters, but especially social capital with its implication for trust and human interaction, are relevant to peace building. With the passage of the Bangsamoro Organic Law, there is expected to be a strong increase within the Philippines and internationally in funding the promotion of agricultural livelihood activities in Mindanao. The multifaced assessment of benefits is somewhat unique and the resulting quantification of the benefits demonstrates that additional funding and more diverse applications could be warranted.

TACIT EVASION OR A MISPLACED POLICY GAZE: A POLITICAL ECOLOGY OF THE DEFORESTATION AND CHARCOAL CONUNDRUM IN MALAWI

ABSTRACT Although banned in many countries, charcoal production remains a key driver of deforestation in Africa, yet a livelihood source for many, with evidence showing the practice has risen to unprecedented levels. While rural poverty is often framed as the driver, the rise in charcoal consumption among a burgeoning urban population suggests a multiplicity of drivers. Using in-depth interviews with diverse stakeholders in Malawi, this paper examined the underlying drivers of the charcoal conundrum. Although poverty is indeed a driver, our findings suggest the charcoal conundrum is rooted in complex sociopolitical dynamics and class relations at multiple scales. Charcoal production, a highly stigmatized economic activity at the rural scale, is the key source of fuel for a burgeoning urban population lacking affordable alternative energy sources. Our findings further reveal what we theorize as “hierarchical corruption,” featuring an elite class of “big charcoal dealers” who pay bribes to freely transact charcoal while rural people continue to be disproportionately targeted with draconian forest laws. These dynamics suggest a tacit evasion of the real drivers of deforestation and a misplaced policy gaze in forest governance. Contemporary forest policy must look “beyond forest” to address both production and consumption side drivers of deforestation, particularly poverty, and the lack of clean energy alternatives.

Cut a Tree, Cut a Man: Charcoal Production as a Bane to Green Economy in Nigeria

Symbiotically speaking, cutting a tree is akin to cutting a man or any of its counterparts in the animal kingdom. Besides solar energy, heat energy's role in humans’ daily life calls for its taming, artificial ignition, and fuelling of same for its reuse as and when due. Hence, humans’ ability to ignite and fuel fire marked a significant achievement in human evolution. Meanwhile, wood was the most traditional source of fuel in human history, which is, mainly, of two forms: firewood and charcoal. Dried wood was the common source of fuel for domestic cooking and commercial use both in the rural and urban areas in the primitive era. Although, firewood has relatively little burden on nature, charcoal, which has more adverse effects on the environment, is now taking over. Sadly, the discovery of better alternative sources such as LPG and electricity could not bring about a remarkable shift in many developing nations, including Nigeria, despite their efficiency. Taking expository and critical analysis methodologies, this paper argues that wood-fuelling hinders the achievement of the green economy in Africa, and it persists for many reasons; poor state of electricity, unavailability and/or unaffordability of the LPG, poverty, poor environmental awareness, unsophisticated and poor enforcement of environmental laws and lack of compensation for the conservators among others. In addition to the ever-suggested solutions, this paper recommends a ‘carrot and cane' system. By this, the offenders should not only be accordingly penalised but also the conservers be compensated duly. It also recommends the use of briquettes as viable alternatives.

Land Use Legacy Landforms at the UNESCO Heritage Site Tarnowskie Góry, Upper Silesia, Poland—Stratigraphy, Soils and Age

ABSTRACTMetallurgy in Upper Silesia (Poland) has a long tradition of international significance, which was emphasized in 2017 when the historic silver mine in Tarnowskie Góry was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage site. The area consists of various anthropogenic landforms, the stratigraphy of which has hardly been studied so far. In this study, we describe five main morphological units: Unit I (RCH) and Unit II (RCH pit), resulting from charcoal production; Unit III (shaft) and Unit IV (shaft heap), resulting from mining; and Unit V (reference forest soil). The first four units are a variation of a Technosol with inherently different properties from the reference forest soil. Unit I exhibits typical properties of a relict charcoal hearth (RCH), whereas Unit II resembles a pit. Unit III consists of a mostly infilled mining shaft remain (MSR), characterized by relocated subsoil. Unit IV consists of material from the adjacent Unit III that has been dumped directly aside. The studied RCH was used no earlier than during the second half of the 17th century, probably between 1725 and 1813. The studied MSR was used most likely between the 3rd and 5th centuries, which is much older than described so far. Together, the units reflect the characteristic heterogeneity of soils in shaft mining and RCH areas.

Unlocking renewable fuel: Charcoal briquettes production from agro-industrial waste with cassava industrial binders

Increasing global fuel demand has created challenges in sourcing raw materials, making agro-waste biomass utilization for energy production a critical alternative. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the production of charcoal briquettes using different base materials such as coconut shells (TC1), Leucaena leucocephala wood (TC2), and assorted wood charcoal residues (TC3), along with binders derived from cassava industry by-products—namely, tapioca starch (TB1), cassava peel (TB2), and cassava tubers (TB3) at binder content (BC) ratios of 5, 10, 15, and 20 by volume. Initially, assessing the physical properties, including proximate and ultimate analyses, was crucial for predicting effective charcoal production. The TC2 briquettes, using TB2 and TB3 binders at a BC20 concentration, were found to be optimal, displaying a high production capacity and low specific energy consumption. Using cassava peel and tubers as binders not only efficiently uses agricultural by-products, thereby reducing costs and avoiding competition with food resources (TC1) but also results in high-quality briquettes. In scenarios of raw material shortages, TC3 and TC2 can effectively replace TC1. Mechanically, TC3 and TC2 briquettes exhibited superior characteristics. Although BC20 enhances the mechanical properties and facilitates handling, it may compromise heat release. Thermally, a higher BC decreases the charcoal proportion, leading to increased ignition time, reduced calorific value, and heating effectiveness. In conclusion, the successful production of charcoal briquettes from agro-industrial waste using cassava industrial binders presents a viable pathway towards more sustainable energy practices, improves waste management, and adds value to agricultural waste.

Uncovering Patterns: Data Mining the Deforestation Frontier in Brazilian Cerrado

Abstract. The Brazilian Cerrado, recognized as the world's most diverse tropical savanna, has undergone significant land clearance for agriculture, cattle ranching, and charcoal production, leading to considerable loss of its natural vegetation. This deforestation disrupts major aquifers, affecting ecosystems and human populations. The Cerrado Deforestation Monitoring Project (PRODES), active since 2017, systematically maps new deforestation using satellite imagery. This study used GeoDMA, a geospatial data mining tool for analyzing complex spatial databases such as those provided by the PRODES. The study area is the Alto Parnaíba region within the MATOPIBA agricultural frontier, characterized by high rates of crop expansion and burned areas. Using PRODES deforestation data from 2000 to 2023, the study categorizes deforestation patterns into geometric, multidirectional, and diffuse types, associated with large-scale agriculture, smallholder farming, and subsistence agriculture, respectively. The analysis reveals that approximately 50% of land use trajectories are small-scale subsistence agriculture, predominantly in northern Alto Parnaíba. Unchanged large-scale farms are concentrated in the southern part of the study area, linked to annual crops. The transition from small to large-scale farms is significant in the western region. Protected areas, especially strictly protected conservation units, show minimal changes in native vegetation. This study highlights the expansion of large-scale agriculture in MATOPIBA, emphasizing the need for targeted interventions to manage land use changes and prevent further deforestation. Future research should extend this approach to other Cerrado ecoregions to improve the detection and analysis of deforestation processes.

OPTIMIZING CHARCOAL PRODUCTION: A COMPARISON OF THREE WOOD SPECIES AND METHODS

For sustainable forestry management and environmental protection, it is crucial to compare three wood types and processes in order to optimise charcoal production. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the viability of using diverse waste materials and carbonization techniques to produce wood charcoal. The upcountry wet zone and low-country dry zone regions of Sri Lanka provided the samples, which were each repeated ten times and came in three different sample sizes. To make charcoal, these samples were put through the barrel and pit processes. The results showed that the barrel method produced 28% charcoal instead of the 21% produced by the pit method, demonstrating its higher efficiency and cost-effectiveness. This improvement was ascribed to the barrel's enhanced ability to regulate airflow and temperature during pyrolysis. The study emphasizes the use of wood off-cuts and the barrel method to increase efficiency, save costs, and improve charcoal quality. It provides helpful advice for small charcoal producers.

Social Perception and Engagement in Mangrove Restoration: A Case Study in Central America

Mangroves are vital intertidal ecosystems that support biodiversity and protect coastal communities, but face increasing pressure from anthropogenic activities that sustain local livelihoods. It is crucial to integrate the social dimension into conservation efforts by encouraging community participation in mangrove restoration. Chame Bay, located on the central Pacific coast of Panama, is a protected area with significant mangrove cover, but despite its management plan, degradation continues due to intensive timber extraction for charcoal production and insufficient natural regeneration. This study investigates local knowledge and perceptions of mangrove functions and regeneration. A proportional stratified sampling of the Chame Bay population was used, with 300 interviews conducted among key stakeholders, including residents and mangrove resource users. Variables such as age, education, and profession were analyzed in relation to perceptions, participation, and willingness to participate in restoration efforts. Results indicate that 24.67% of the population’s primary economic activity is charcoal production from mangrove wood, with 15% of producers already involved in restoration and 60% willing to participate. These findings highlight the potential for community-driven restoration and emphasize the need for environmental education to encourage participation. This study provides essential information for designing restoration strategies in mangrove areas in Central America.

Preparation of adsorbent from coal gasification slag for the treatment of waste water from lanchar and its adsorption mechanism

ABSTRACT Solid waste coal gasification slag has certain hardness, porosity, pore structure and specific surface area, etc. which can be utilized in environmental protection materials and other areas of high value. Yulin City, high-quality coal resources derived from the excellent quality of charcoal products, but its processing will produce a large number of high chemical oxygen demand (COD), high volatile phenol, high ammonia nitrogen ‘three high’ wastewater, the ecological environment is very harmful. The results of the modification of the refined coal gasification fine residue showed that the removal rates of the three were enhanced to 91%, 89% and 83%, respectively, after adsorption at a pH of 9.5, an injection ratio of 1:5 and 25 ℃ for 25 min. The reason is that the modification treatment significantly increased the specific surface area of the adsorbent from 103 m2/g to 606 m2/g, which effectively increased the adsorption active sites for the pollutant molecules. The adsorption process of COD from modified refining coal gasification slag for the treatment of charcoal wastewater was thermodynamically investigated. The thermodynamic study shows that the adsorption process of modified refining coal gasification slag on pollutants in the charcoal wastewater is an exothermic and spontaneous process.

Biochar aging, soil microbiota and chemistry of charcoal kilns in Mediterranean forests

AbstractCharcoal kilns, old structures used for charcoal production in the forest, preserve a charcoal-enriched topsoil representing a suitable proxy for studying the long-term effect of biochar addition to soil. Two kiln platforms located at Gelbison and Vesole mountain sites in Southern Italy were selected due to their comparable climates but distinct parent rocks. We conducted standard soil chemical analyses and used next-generation sequencing to explore bacterial and fungal microbiome. Anthracology identified charcoal species, while scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) characterized charcoal particles. Reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (DRIFTS) assessed biochar surface oxidation. Additionally, a bioassay with soybean, maize, and Tomato investigated the impact of kiln soil on plant performance. Our results showed that kiln soils did not exhibit higher pH, cation exchange capacity, or greater richness in cations. EDS and FTIR analyses showed that charcoal buried in forest soil for decades undergoes significant oxidation, with increased O/C ratio and the presence of oxygenated functional groups. Charcoal surfaces were selectively enriched with Ca2+ on limestone substrate sites but with Al and Si over sedimentary (flysch) substrate. While differences in the kiln soil and its surroundings were noticeable, they were not drastic in terms of microbial diversity and composition. Surprisingly, the bioassay indicated that the kiln microbiota had a more positive impact on plant growth compared to external forest soil. In conclusion, this study highlights the unique nature of kiln microsites and begins to unveil the enduring effects of charcoal accumulation on soil chemistry and microbiota in forest soil. Graphical Abstract

The Charcoal Iron Industry and Pennsylvania Forestry

ABSTRACT Pennsylvania was a pioneer in the forestry conservation movement, as one of the earliest states to develop forestry legislation, a forestry commission, state forestry reservations, and a forestry association. There are well-known early forestry leaders, like Gifford Pinchot, first chief of the US Forest Service, and Joseph T. Rothrock, the father of Pennsylvania forestry. However, much of the early foundation of the forestry movement in the state is not readily recognized. Bernhard Fernow, third chief of the federal Division of Forestry, had Pennsylvania roots. John Birkinbine, a founder and president of the Pennsylvania Forestry Association (for nearly a quarter-century), quietly provided much of the leadership for the early forestry movement. Surprisingly, Pennsylvania’s charcoal iron industry had connections to all four of these forestry leaders. Charcoal production in the state is sometimes associated with forest devastation, but a deeper look shows it is more closely associated with forest conservation.

Effect of moisture content on pyrolysis product yield from lignite and lignite-peanut shell mixtures using slow pyrolysis

ABSTRACT The conversion of biomass-coal mixtures into energy using thermal conversion systems offers a more environmentally sustainable alternative to conventional coal consumption. A reactor with an internal compartment is proposed to improve the pyrolysis performance of lignite coal and mixtures of lignite coal with peanut shells. The study investigates lignite coal with varying moisture contents and peanut shell proportions (0%, 10%, 25%, and 50%) at a temperature of 500°C, using a heating rate of 0.1°C/s. The results indicated that dry mixtures demonstrated higher overall productivity compared to wet mixtures, particularly in terms of charcoal production. The weight of charcoal increased by 4.83%, 4.71%, 4.02%, and 2.61% across the mixtures. The total conversion rates for dry mixtures were 24.59%, 29.27%, 34.36%, and 40.44%, while for wet mixtures, the conversion rates were 29.42%, 33.98%, 38.38%, and 43.05%, respectively. The results revealed that moisture content during pyrolysis significantly influenced the productivity of lignite and lignite-peanut shell mixtures. The conversion rates in dry mixtures were lower compared to those in wet mixtures. The novelty of this work lies in its pioneering investigation of the impact of moisture on the slow pyrolysis of Turkish lignite mixed with peanut shells. It offers novel insights into optimizing the thermal conversion process for these materials by uniquely examining the effects of moisture on productivity and conversion rates.

Environmental Sustainability Assessment of Banana Peel Briquetting

Abstract Continued population growth is expected to further strain the energy-food nexus, such as the increase of waste generation by 2050. Proper waste management is thus essential to manage the future scenarios. Banana is one of the highly produced crops globally, and especially in the Philippines, where one of its most notable wastes are the banana peels. It is estimated that 1.67 million metric tons of banana peel waste is generated from banana production in the Philippines. Despite the potential of BP across other applications, these technologies are not yet implemented on an industrial scale. While their potential as a raw material for various products has been researched extensively, the environmental sustainability of these technologies is yet to be measured. One of the technologies for utilizing waste biomass is briquetting. Briquettes are processed densified biomass which can be used as a substitute for conventional solid fuels, especially in household cooking. This study aims to report for the first time the environmental performance of industrial-scale banana peel briquetting from collected empirical data. Life cycle assessment is conducted through openLCA with ReCiPe 2016 Midpoint (H) being the impact assessment method. The results indicate that the production of briquetting performs better environmentally compared to the equivalent production of charcoal. The carbon footprint of producing briquettes from banana peels is 0.01 kg CO2-eq/MJ, over 95% lower than conventional charcoal. The briquettes from banana peels also indicate lower environmental impacts in categories such as agricultural land occupation, and fossil depletion potential. Contribution analysis of the system indicates that the use of binder contributes most to the impacts of briquetting production. Possible use of different binders or the development of different binders is expected to improve environmental performance. Alternative energy schemes for drying can also improve environmental performance.

The charcoal footprint of greater Accra on the Afram Plains: Urban energy consumption and forest degradation in Ghana

Rapid urbanisation in sub-Saharan Africa is leading to increased energy consumption and a growing reliance on charcoal as a fuel source, with significant environmental implications. This study examines the impact of charcoal consumption in Greater Accra, Ghana, on the Afram Plains ecosystem. Employing a mixed-methods approach, including geographical analysis, quantitative data collection, and sustainability assessment, we evaluate the charcoal footprint of Greater Accra. Our findings reveal that charcoal remains the dominant cooking fuel in Greater Accra despite increased access to electricity, resulting in an estimated loss of 354,479 trees annually in the Afram Plains. This demand creates an ecological deficit of 18,850 hectares/yr, significantly exceeding the ecosystem's regenerative capacity. We observe complex dynamics between urban energy needs and rural resource sustainability, highlighting socio-economic factors driving persistent charcoal use. The study proposes a conceptual framework integrating urban demand, rural supply, ecological impact, and natural regeneration. Our research contributes to urban sustainability literature, offering insights for policymakers to develop more sustainable energy strategies, including quota systems for harvesting, promoting alternative cooking fuels, community-based forest management, and improved charcoal production technologies. This case study provides valuable lessons for other rapidly urbanizing regions facing similar sustainability challenges in sub-Saharan Africa.

Producing Animal Originated Charcoal Production and its Characterization Analysis Compared to Brown Coal

On place research was conducted on a farm where cows were fed by a mixture of traditional pasturing and feed supply. Pyrolysis was carried out directly on the farm to produce a ready-to-use biochar product. The product of biochar after pyrolysis was mixed with an organic adhesive dopant into 100 gram processed products for commercial use. This processed product was analyzed by elemental analysis, proximate analysis, TGA, FTIR and electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy. Data from these analyses was compared to those of brown coal Aduunchuluun, which is originally from the same place as the bio waste. Heavy elements content in biochar such as silicon, aluminium, sulphur, etc. is significantly less than compared to the brown coal. TGA and DTG analysis on the biochar product showed a total weight loss of 0.87%, where nearly 0.26% of the moisture was released in the temperature interval of 30 - 300°C, 0.46% of devolatilization occurred in 300 - 600°C, and 0.15% of mass loss in combustion reaction in 600 - 700°C. The residue after the thermal processing was minimal and consisted of hemicellulose and cellulose after volatilization. From the FTIR analysis, we see a disappearance of hydroxyl group vibration around 3400 cm-1 and carbonyl C=O stretching 1733 cm-1 from the biochar product compared to brown coal. The aromatic absorption near 1600 cm-1 is shifted to 1392 cm-1 in biochar. EPR spectrum of bio product consists of two lines, broad and narrow in the resonance field of ≈ 3500 Gs. Corresponding g-factor of narrow line and broad line 2.0022. It is calculated the spin numbers in biochar sample, that is compared to brown coal related data.

The Challenger's Social Skills: Bengkalis Panglong Business

This article focuses on the social skills possessed by the challengers, in this case, charcoal panglong (a place for wood processing and charcoal production) owners, entrepreneurs, and their workers who are able to survive the regulations on the utilization of mangrove forests. The battle in this field began in the days of the Dutch government. The purpose of this study is 1) to reveal how the contestation of stability and change in the charcoal panglong business in Bengkalis. 2) to analyze the social skills possessed by the owner of the charcoal panglong and his workers, hereinafter referred to as challengers, in maintaining the existence of his business until now. The ability to maintain the charcoal panglong business and its business existence. A series of research studies using a qualitative approach, using interviews and observations, were conducted by the author to reveal a series of strategic action fields in the forestry business. The findings obtained show that challengers have always competed with incumbents (mangrove forest policies and regulations) and governance units for a long time. This field contestation has occurred since 1853, starting from the time the Dutch government established a panglong in Bengkalis to meet the demand for wood and charcoal from Singapore and Malaysia. The challenger always maintains its business existence by fulfilling all obligations as a holder of a community forest license granted by the president and also as a charcoal export license holder to Malaysia; of course, to meet these export needs, another skill it has is maintaining a stable supply of charcoal for export. The patron client relationship is one of the challenger's skills in maintaining good relations with the local community and its workers. The market field analysis using Fligstein and McAdam's Field Theory of Strategic Action Field (SAF) helps explore the elements of social skills in SAF so that the structure of stability and change in the forestry charcoal panglong business arena can be illustrated more clearly.

Spatiotemporal dynamics of land use land cover change and its drivers in the western part of Lake Abaya, Ethiopia.

Understanding the dynamics of land use/land cover (LU/LC) changes and what drives these changes is essential for creating effective strategies for sustainable land management. It also helps to monitor the impact on ecosystems and biodiversity, which is crucial for policy-making. This study focused on assessing the trends, rates, and extent of LU/LC change and its causes in the western part of Lake Abaya in Ethiopia. To achieve this, we used a supervised classification method with a maximum-likelihood algorithm to map different land use land cover types. Additionally, we gathered information through field observations, focus group discussions (FGDs), and key informant interviews (KIIs) to identify the factors driving LU/LC change and its consequences between 1990 and 2022. The study findings revealed that vegetation and wetlands significantly decreased over this period, while water bodies, agricultural land, and settlements expanded at the expense of other land uses. The average normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) values decreased from 0.368 in 1990 to 0.135 in 2022, indicating declining vegetation health. Local communities point to several factors responsible for these changes, including the expansion of agricultural land, increased settlement, firewood collection, and charcoal production (as proximate/immediate drivers), as well as population growth, poverty, unemployment, climate change, and policy-related issues (as underlying causes). Thus, it needs the development and implementation of an integrated and sustainable land management system, and strong land use and restoration policies in order to halt or reduce the rapid expansion of agricultural land and settlement areas at the expense of vegetation and wetlands.

VEGETATION COVER DYNAMICS OF THE ECOLOGICAL CORRIDORS OF MAYO-KEBBI WEST IN CHAD FROM 2009 TO 2019

This study highlights the application of remote sensing and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) in monitoring vegetation formations in the Mayo-Kebbi West province. The general objective of this study is to contribute to better management and conservation of vegetation formations in the Lere-Binder wildlife reserves, Sena-Oura National Park, and the Yamba Berte forest formation. The spatio-temporal evolution of vegetation was analyzed using Sentinel imagery from 2009 and 2019. The results and matrix analyses showed that 42.86% of the land cover units (grassland, shrubland to woodland, and flood zone) experienced a regression of 7.6 ha per year, while 57.14% (water bodies, fields, gallery forest, and open forest) showed progression. It is noteworthy that the main factors driving vegetation degradation are agriculture, livestock farming, logging, charcoal production, and gold mining.