Spatiotemporal Dynamics of Land Use and Land Cover Change in the Ebo Forest Reserve, Littoral Region of Cameroon

Purpose: The purpose of this article is to analyze the spatiotemporal dynamics of land use and land cover (LULC) changes in the Ebo Forest Reserve, a biodiversity hotspot in West Africa, over a 30-year period from 1994 to 2024. Materials and Methods: This study employed high-resolution satellite imagery from the Landsat sensor and a supervised classification approach to delineate LULC classes, including Dense Forest, Secondary Forest/Agricultural Land, and Settlements/Bare Soils. An accuracy assessment was conducted to validate the LULC maps, revealing overall accuracies of 99.08% in 1994, 99.89% in 2009, and 100% in 2024. Findings: The results demonstrated a significant decline in Dense Forest cover from 98.0% in 1994 to 82.0% in 2024, alongside an increase in Secondary Forest/Agricultural Land (from 1.8% to 8.3%) and Settlements/Bare Soils (from 0.2% to 9.7%). These changes reflect the evolving needs of rural communities, driven by population growth, agricultural expansion, and infrastructure development. Climate change was identified as a critical driver affecting ecosystem productivity and resilience. Implications to Theory, Practice and Policy: The findings underscore the need for a balanced approach to managing LULC changes and climate impacts, ensuring sustainable resource management while supporting community development. Policymakers should prioritize frameworks that facilitate sustainable practices to preserve the ecological integrity of the Ebo Forest Reserve.