Complex multispatio-periodic land use and land cover change processes, and woody resources management in a forest-Savanna Ecotone, Ghana

Vegetation change discourse in tropical Africa is characterized by assumptions of generalised deforestation and degradation. Premised on the concept of the heterogeneity of the tropical African landscape, we make a multispatio-periodic analysis of land use and land cover change (LULCC), and examine its ramifications for woody resources of a forest-Savanna transition, that is characterized by assumed deforestation change discourse. Landsat data for 1985, 2000 and 2016, classified into seven (7) LULC categories were analyzed for change for 1985–2016, 1985–2000 and 2000–2016: for the whole study area, and six (6) smaller localities. In 1985–2016, all woody vegetation categories of the study area experienced reduction: ranging between 60.00% and 23.61%. Reduction in woodland was higher in 1985–2000. Dense woodland cover reduced in, practically, all localities in 1985–2000. The LULCC mechanism was a complex transfer among LULC types, resulting in different emergent LULC types. Hence, change process was not a simple linear deforestation and degradation. Dense woodland that existed at the end of each period was, predominately, regenerated from pre-existing fallow, rather than remnants of ‘virgin’ or pre-existing dense woodland. When pre-existing woody cover was higher, greater amount of woody vegetation regenerates by transformation in a shorter period, whereas limited woody regeneration of woody vegetation on pre-existing fallows dominateswhen there is limited pre-existing woodland, through a long processes of conversion and transformation. Therefore, maintaining higher woody vegetation cover will promote quicker and substantial regeneration of woody vegetation, and availability of woody resources for sustainable wood-based livelihoods, such as charcoal production.