Land Use/Cover Changes During 1992–2022 in the Yayo Coffee Forest Biosphere Reserve, Southwestern Ethiopia

Land use and land cover change (LULC) play a critical role in influencing ecosystem processes, biodiversity, hydrology, and climate. In recent years, human activities have greatly influenced changes in LULC more than ever before. The Yayo Coffee Forest Biosphere Reserve (YCFBR) is currently experiencing major effects from human activities, such as the spread of forest fires and the expansion of coffee plantations. The objective of this study is to quantify changes in LULC and their effects on ecological preservation within the YCFBR from 1992 to 2022. Landsat images from 1992, 2002, 2012, and 2022 were used for the study after the application of common image preprocessing techniques such as geometric and radiometric correction algorithms. A supervised image classification method using maximum likelihood algorithms was used to create LC maps consisting of six different LULC types in ERDAS Imagine software. The results revealed that throughout the study period, there was a consistent 80.81% of open forests that remained unchanged, while 79.08% of high forests stayed high forests. Similarly, the percentage of agricultural land that remained unchanged was 72.77%, while the percentage of built-up areas that remained the same was 62.84%. Grazing land experienced a conversion of about 58%, followed by high forest with (13.65%) conversion into open forest, whereas 22% of the agricultural land was converted to built-up area. About 62% of the YCFBR landscape persisted during the study period, while the total net change accounted for 59% of the total change in the area. The study's results can be used as valuable input for planning biodiversity management in the region, helping policymakers improve management strategies for LU, and potentially reducing pressure on high forest areas.