Quantifying Forest Cover Loss during the COVID-19 Pandemic in the Lubumbashi Charcoal Production Basin (DR Congo) through Remote Sensing and Landscape Analysis
Yannick Useni Sikuzani,
Médard Mpanda Mukenza,
Ildephonse Kipili Mwenya,
Héritier Khoji Muteya,
Dieu-donné N’tambwe Nghonda,
Nathan Kasanda Mukendi,
François Malaisse,
Françoise Malonga Kaj,
Donatien Dibwe Dia Mwembu,
Jan Bogaert
Affiliations
Yannick Useni Sikuzani
Unit Ecology, Ecological Restoration and Landscape, Faculty of Agronomic Sciences, University of Lubumbashi, Lubumbashi P.O. Box 1825, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Médard Mpanda Mukenza
Department of Renewable Natural Resources Management, Faculty of Agronomic Sciences, Katumba Mwanke University of Technology, Lubumbashi P.O. Box 74, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Ildephonse Kipili Mwenya
Department of Renewable Natural Resources Management, Faculty of Agronomic Sciences, Katumba Mwanke University of Technology, Lubumbashi P.O. Box 74, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Héritier Khoji Muteya
Unit Ecology, Ecological Restoration and Landscape, Faculty of Agronomic Sciences, University of Lubumbashi, Lubumbashi P.O. Box 1825, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Dieu-donné N’tambwe Nghonda
Unit Ecology, Ecological Restoration and Landscape, Faculty of Agronomic Sciences, University of Lubumbashi, Lubumbashi P.O. Box 1825, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Nathan Kasanda Mukendi
Research Unit in Agricultural Economics and Development, Faculty of Agronomic Sciences, University of Lubumbashi, Lubumbashi P.O. Box 1825, Democratic Republic of the Congo
François Malaisse
Biodiversity, Ecosystem and Landscape Unit, Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech, University of Liège, 5030 Gembloux, Belgium
Françoise Malonga Kaj
School of Public Health, University of Lubumbashi, Lubumbashi P.O. Box 1825, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Donatien Dibwe Dia Mwembu
Department of Historical Sciences, Faculty of Arts and Humanities, Lubumbashi P.O. Box 1825, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Jan Bogaert
Biodiversity, Ecosystem and Landscape Unit, Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech, University of Liège, 5030 Gembloux, Belgium
In the context of the Lubumbashi Charcoal Production Basin (LCPB), the socio-economic repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic have exacerbated pressures on populations dependent on forest resources for their subsistence. This study employs a comprehensive methodological approach, integrating advanced remote sensing techniques, including image classification, mapping, and detailed landscape analysis, to quantify alterations in forest cover within the LCPB during the pandemic period. Our findings reveal a consistent trend of declining forested area, characterized by processes of attrition and dissection observed throughout various study phases, spanning from May 2019 to November 2023. This reduction in forest cover, notably more pronounced in the vicinity of Lubumbashi city and the northern zone of the LCPB, proved to be less pronounced between November 2019 and September 2020, underscoring the influence of COVID-19 pandemic-induced confinement measures on forest management practices in the region. However, subsequent to this period of restriction, deforestation activity intensified, leading to significant landscape transformations within the LCPB, primarily attributable to expanded human activities, consequently resulting in a notable decrease in the proportion of land occupied by these natural ecosystems. Consequently, the size of the largest forest patch declined substantially, decreasing from 14.62% to 8.20% between May 2019 and November 2023, thereby fostering a heightened density of forest edges over time. Our findings provide a significant contribution to understanding the complex interactions between the COVID-19 pandemic and deforestation phenomena, emphasizing the urgent need to adopt adaptive management strategies and appropriate conservation measures in response to current economic challenges.
