Spatio-Temporal Distribution of Southeastern Community Forests in Togo (West Africa)

Abstract

The present study aimed to provide the basics needed to reconcile the fight against poverty with the need of a good management of community resources in the context of local and sustainable development. It focused on the identification of geographic location and spatio-temporal dynamics of these resources in the southeastern part of Togo. The methodological approach was based on the spatial analysis of the area for the years 1988, 2000 and 2018 by combining optical imagery from Landsat TM, ETM+ and Sentinel-2A MSI satellites with radar imagery from Sentinel-1A IW/GRDH. Spatial analysis showed a fragmented spatial structure undergoing major changes for the period 1988-2018. Plantations, riparian formations, agglomerations, water bodies and wetlands increased respectively by 4.61%, 2.09%, 1.07%, 0.43% and 0.35% annually, while forests, savannahs, crops and fallow lands decreased annually by 0.71%, 5.87% and 1.97%. For the "forests" class, seven community forests geographically organized in three subgroups were identified and mapped. The analysis of their areas pointed to the fact that out of 667 ha of community forests in 1988, only 415 ha remain in 2018, which means a loss of 37.78% in forest areas over the 30 years, or an annual deforestation rate of 1.64%. The different spatial changes observed could be attributed to several unsustainable human activities. The land use maps for the years 1988, 2000 and 2018 will contribute to resource localization and protection in sensitive areas or, in other words, to the integrated and rational management of these resources. The different identified and mapped community forests could serve as management units for managers in developing their management plans.

Potentialité des données satellitaires Sentinel-2 pour la cartographie de l’impact des feux de végétation en Afrique tropicale : application au Togo

“…Il découle des analyses que les images S-2 sont d'une qualité satisfaisante pour permettre une bonne visualisation de la végétation non brûlée et des surfaces brûlées. Selon les travaux de recherche de Konko et al (2018b) et de Labib et Harris (2018), les capteurs MSI du satellite Sentinel-2 présentent de bonnes performances dans la restitution des scènes avec une amélioration de la lisibilité des images et de la résolution spatiale par rapport à d'autres systèmes imageurs fournissant des données similaires à accès libre, notamment le système Landsat. Les résultats sur la potentialité des images S-2 dans la restitution des ressources en eau et la création de masque d'eau sont encourageants.…”

Land use/land cover patterns and challenges to sustainable management of the Mono transboundary biosphere reserve between Togo and Benin, West Africa

“…in a context of demographic pressure (Pale, 2000). Several authors have questioned population growth and certain modes of exploitation as the causes of ecosystem and land degradation resulting in the disruption of ecological balances (Konko et al, 2018b). This is a remarkable phenomenon in sub-Saharan Africa, where high population densities and the crisis of agricultural space lead people to seek new land (Abotchi, 2002).…”

Monitoring of Residual Forest Ecosystems Dynamics in the Mono Biosphere Reserve (Southeast Togo)

“…Spatio-temporal analysis for monitoring the dynamics of residual forest ecosystems was carried out on the basis of the annual rate of spatial change (Tannual) [14]. The calculation of this rate is repeated in Equation ( 1).…”

“…The continuous degradation phenomenon observed in recent years within this complex raises fears of the risk of loss of residual forests and/or their conversion into long-term agricultural land if current cultivation practices continue [14]. The continued degradation of forest resources in south-eastern Togo results from a combination of many climatic and anthropogenic factors.…”