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Figure 13 Forest Cover Change and Distance from Ankobra
Source: Spatial Solutions 2015 Based on Forestry Commission ’s Land Cover Data
3.7 Forest Cover Change in the Study Area, 1990 – 2010
Wetlands are declining steeply but even more alarming, is the accelerated rate at which forest lands are diminishing. About a quarter 21.4 km
2
of forestlands in 1990 were lost over the two decades. About 60 percent 13 km of the forestland loss was to croplands. In all, as
shown by figure 3.12, croplands consumed 15 percent of forest lands that existed in 1990. Grasslands also absorbed about 35 percent 7.6 km of forestland loss which represents 9
percent of forestlands in 1990. As earlier advanced, within the context of the study area, grasslands arise normally owing to farming related activities. Farming activities crop and
grass lands accounted for about 95 percent of losses in forestlands.
The expansion of existing settlement coupled with the formation of new ones subsumed the least 0.1 percent proportion of forestlands. However, in assessing holistically, the impact of
settlements formation, growth and expansion on the ecosystem, it is important to factor the impact of the activities of the people that make up the settlements. Thus, the high increase in
crop and grass lands at the expense of forestlands is highly related to that seemingly small increase in settlement cover.
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Figure 14 Forest Cover Change in the Study Area, 1990 – 2010
Source: Spatial Solutions 2015 Based on Forestry Commission Land Cover Data Spatially, from figure 3.13, the change from forest to crop lands is generally scattered. That
notwithstanding, significant concentration is observed around the settlements more especially, areas between Kukoaville and Eziome; western parts of Yiyibunli; and areas
between Adiasuazo and Eziome. The people are thus, farming closer to where they live. The change from forest to grass lands is more visible around Sawoma and between Yiyibunli and
Awona. Wetlands also absorbed about 0.8 percent of forest lands between 1990 and 2010. This largely occurred along Ankobra River between Sawoma and Adiasuazo.
Figure 15 Spatial Overview of the Dynamics of Forest Cover Change, 1990 - 2010
Source: Spatial Solutions 2015 Based on Forestry Commission ’s Land Cover Data
3.8 Summary of Key Issues from Spatial Analysis Affecting the Marine Ecosystem
