Assessing changes in ecosystem service provision in the Bia-Tano forest reserve for sustained carbon mitigation and non-timber forest products provision

Abstract

The Millennium Ecosystem defined ecosystem services as “ the benefits people derive from ecosystems ”. Besides provisioning services or goods like food, wood and other raw materials, plants, animals, fungi, and micro - organisms, ecosystem sevices provide essential regulating services such as pollination of crops, prevention of soil erosion, water purification and a vast array of cultural services, like recreation and a sense of place. Forest ecosystems also provide numerous services, benefits, and goods that benefit human wellbeing and mitigate carbon emissions. In many developing coun- tries, forest ecosystem services serve as a vital means of providing food, reducing poverty and creating employment. This study uses GIS and satellite images to assess the changes in forest ecosystem services in the Bia - Tano forest reserve from 1990 to 2020. The purpose was to ascertain how human interventions and activities have con- tributed to the decrease in the service provision of Bia - Tano forest reserveʼs ecosystem services. We argue that LULC (Land Use Land Cover) changes affect the poten- tial of the forest reserve to provide numerous products and services to benefit fringe communities and carbon mitigation. In all two sets of Classified Land Use Land Cover Images (CLULCI) co - vering the years 1990, 2000, 2011 and 2020 for the Bia - Tano forest reserve and surrounding areas and CLULCI for the actual forest reserve using the same years. The findings further revealed that the fringe communityʼs livelihood activities have contributed to the decrease in the quality and quantity of the forest reserve over the past 30 years, with closed forest decline, while built - up areas, barren areas, planted/cultivated areas and open forest continue to increase. Furthermore, the excessive exploitation of natural resources from the reserve, coupled with illegal encroachment, and frequent access to timber and fuelwood, threaten the conservation of the reserveʼs biodiversity and sustainability of ecosystem services. The findings show inadequate forest governance mechanisms to conserve and protect the reserve from further degradation and depletion of the reserve ’ s resources. The livelihoods of fringe communities depend on the sale and consumption of NTFPs (Non - Timber Forest Products) from the reserve. Hence the changes in the forest reserves cover vegetation will reduce the NTFPs collected/harvested by fringe communities to support their livelihoods and wellbeing. Therefore, there is the need to tighten and strengthen the governance processes and mechanisms through participatory governance and enforce- ment of the rules and regulations to sustainably conserve and protect the reserve from deforestation and forest degradation.