Vunerability of the Complex Protected-Areas-And-Neighboring Communities under Climatic and Human Footprint Drivers in the Sudanian Climate Zone in Burkina Faso

Abstract

Protected forest areas and their neighboring communities in Burkina Faso are facing numerous challenges related to climate change, climate variability, and human impact, without a good understanding of the relationship between forests, climate, and human activities. To overcome this situation, this study's main objective seeks to understand the effect of climate and human footprint drivers on protected areas and their neighboring community resilience in the Sudanian climatic zone of Burkina Faso. Specifically, it seeks (i) to determine rainfall and temperature factors' effect on vegetation cover in the Sudanian climatic zone in Burkina Faso from 2001 to 2022, (ii) to assess the vulnerability of ecosystems within protected areas to human footprint in the Sudanian climatic zone from 1986 to 2022, (iii) to assess protected areas neighboring communities’ vulnerability to climatic and human footprint drivers in the Sudanian climatic zone in Burkina Faso. Using satellite data, including climate data (TAMSAT, ERA5), MODIS-NDVI vegetation data, Landsat data, climate ground data, individual interviews, and focus groups, specific objectives have been fully addressed in consistent and reliable qualitative and quantitative methodology analysis carried out with R, Kobocollectool, QGIS version 3.18, and Excel software’s. The study findings highlighted that the vegetation of the Sudanian climatic zone experienced severe and extreme drought events from 2001 to 2005 and from 2013 to 2016, supported by SPEI6 and NDVI moderate and positive Pearson correlation (r = 0.61). In addition, with a kappa coefficient and overall accuracy of more than 90%, the study revealed that both Dinderesso and Peni classified forest, Clear Forest, and Wooded Savannah/Tree Savannah classes were converted into Shrub Savannah and Agroforestry Parklands from 1986 to 2022 mainly due to human activities representing more than 90% of forest degradation and deforestation drivers. In the Dinderesso classified forest, the annual growth rate of Shrub Savannah and Agroforestry Parklands are respectively 3.86% and 3.09%. In the Peni classified forest, the annual growth rates of Shrub Savannah and Agroforestry Parklands are, respectively, more than 100% and 0.95%. Finally, this study highlighted that Dinderesso and the Peni classified forest neighboring communities were not similarly affected by climate variability effects and human activities on forest provisioning ecosystem services, with their vulnerability ranging from low to moderate. These consistent and meaningful findings are crucial pieces of information that will contribute to improving policymakers, forest managers, and the stakeholders' ability to improve forest management and preserve population livelihoods sustainably.