Impact des Intrusions Paysannes sur la Physionomie et la Dynamique de la Végétation de la Forêt Classée de Laouda au Centre-Ouest de la Côte d’Ivoire

Abstract

Forests disappearance in Côte d'Ivoire is attributable to peasant intrusions into protected areas, including classified forests. The loss of biodiversity is a consequence of this disappearance. Laouda classified forest, which is the subject of this study, is strongly penetrated by peasants for crops. To better understand the impact of these intrusions, this paper focuses on evaluating the dynamics between 1986 and 2017 starting from the satellite imagery, and then to characterize land covers or land uses of the classified forest. The supervised classification method by neuron network was used on the Landsat TM and OLI images of 1986 and 2017. This was preceded by physiognomic characterization of vegetation types. The different vegetation formations present in this classified forest are dense forests, secondary forests, regenerated forest, and fallows. These habitats have low density values (904.16 to 608.33 stems / ha) and basal area (1.06 to 4.3 m² / ha). The dynamics over time of land use between 1986 and 2017 showed a regression of forests in favor of crops and fallows. Forest formations degradation process is dissection and fragmentation for respectively dense forests and secondary forests. Artificializations or apparitions have been observed at the level of fallows and crops, with the process of creation and aggregation, respectively. During this period, 14.27% or 568.37 ha of the landscape occupied by the forests was converted into crops and fallows. This situation occurs due to