Disentangling the drivers of deforestation and forest degradation in the Miombo landscape: A case study from Mozambique

• DOI: 10.1016/j.jag.2024.103904
• Publication Date: 2024-05-14T22:59:25Z
• Authors: Sá Nogueira Lisboa; Clovis Grinand; Julie Betbeder; Frédérique Montfort; Lilian Blanc
• Keywords: Deforestation; Forest degradation; Environmental degradation

The fragmented and complex landscape in the Miombo makes it a challenge to map disentangle various forest change drivers (FCD) associated with these changes relate them other underlying drivers. To overcome challenges, we developed method spatially of deforestation (smallholder commercial agriculture, mining, clean-cutting charcoal), degradation (selective charcoal production, wildfires, logging), growth (abandoned land, regrowth including plantations) Beira corridor, central Mozambique. We identified ten potential FCD from literature created two land use cover (LULC) maps for 2000 2020 identify areas change. used stratified random sampling based on LULC map, visually interpreted high-resolution satellite imagery, NDVI time series characterise collected observation points FCD. derived several as explanatory spatial variables. algorithm evaluate their relative importance generate loss due accounts 82.8 % (38,553.1 ha year−1) 5.2 (2,399.1 year−1), respectively, while gain plantations 2.8 (1,314.4 9.2 (4,297 total area 2020. Smallholder agriculture (72.2 change), clear-cutting (9.1 %), abandoned (5.4 %) (5.7 were main study area. They are explained mainly by intensity change, altitude, population density proximity road. results show satisfactory accuracy (overall = 88 F1-score 80 90 2020) 79 73 %). This provides significant improvement quantifying using explicit data. could help decision-makers design policies better monitor impacts.