TITLE:
Spatiotemporal Dynamics of Forest Cover in the West Coast of Mount Cameroon National Park
AUTHORS:
Akongenow Lucy Taboko, Longonje Simon Ngomba, Godswill Azinwie Asongwe, Kamah Pascal Bumtu, Tchakonte Simeon, Guilen-Noel Nghokapin Tataw, Echuaba Laris Atianjoh, Nkemndem Agendia Demianus, Jerry Clinton Mboza
KEYWORDS:
Land Use/Land Cover, Change Detection, GIS, Remote Sensing, Agricultural Expansion, Logging, Encroachment, Mount Cameroon National Park
JOURNAL NAME:
Journal of Geoscience and Environment Protection,
Vol.14 No.7,
July
27,
2026
ABSTRACT: Tropical forest ecosystems play a critical role in regulating global carbon cycles, supporting biodiversity, and sustaining ecosystem services. However, increasing anthropogenic and environmental pressures are driving significant forest cover changes, particularly within protected areas. This study assesses forest cover dynamics and their implications for ecosystem functioning in the West Coast Cluster of Mount Cameroon National Park, Cameroon. A geospatial approach integrating multi-temporal Landsat imagery (1985, 2005, and 2025) and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) was employed to quantify land use/land cover (LULC) changes. Supervised classification using Support Vector Machine (SVM) algorithms enabled the mapping of key land cover classes, while post-classification comparison techniques were used to detect temporal transitions. Results reveal a substantial decline in dense forest cover from 83.22% in 1985 to 53.02% in 2025, representing a loss of approximately 5560 ha. Concurrently, fragmented/secondary forest increased markedly from 1.81% to 29.42%, while bare soils/rocks expanded from 0.81% to 13.73%, indicating intensified degradation. These changes reflect a transition from intact forest systems to a more fragmented and heterogeneous landscape. The observed dynamics are driven by agricultural expansion, logging, settlement encroachment, and natural disturbances such as volcanic activity. The decline in dense forests suggests reduced carbon storage capacity and weakened ecosystem functions, despite partial compensation through secondary forest regrowth. Overall, the findings highlight a progressive loss of ecosystem integrity within the park. Strengthening conservation strategies, enhancing restoration efforts, and integrating forest landscapes into carbon market mechanisms are essential to sustain ecosystem functions and support climate change mitigation.