Integrating remote sensing and ecosystem valuation to quantify the impacts of land use change in a mining-affected district of ghana

Abstract

This study assessed land use and land cover (LULC) changes, ecosystem service values (ESVs), and their interactions in the Atwima Nwabiagya South District of Ghana between 2015 and 2025. Satellite image classification identified five LULC classes: vegetation, bare land, built-up areas, mined sites, and waterbodies. Over the decade, vegetation cover declined sharply from 56.1% to 34.4%, while bare land expanded from 32.6% to 48.3% and mined areas increased from 0.3% to 3.2%. Using a benefit transfer approach, total ecosystem service value decreased from about USD 765.4 million in 2015 to USD 551.2 million in 2025, largely due to the conversion of high-value vegetation and waterbodies into degraded land. The findings link land degradation primarily to rapid urban expansion and intensified mineral extraction. The study highlights the need for sustainable land management, ecosystem restoration, and district-level monitoring systems to support land-use planning, community-led stewardship, and Ghana’s Land Degradation Neutrality objectives.This study assessed land use and land cover (LULC) changes, ecosystem service values (ESVs), and their interactions in the Atwima Nwabiagya South District of Ghana between 2015 and 2025. Satellite image classification identified five LULC classes: vegetation, bare land, built-up areas, mined sites, and waterbodies. Over the decade, vegetation cover declined sharply from 56.1% to 34.4%, while bare land expanded from 32.6% to 48.3% and mined areas increased from 0.3% to 3.2%. Using a benefit transfer approach, total ecosystem service value decreased from about USD 765.4 million in 2015 to USD 551.2 million in 2025, largely due to the conversion of high-value vegetation and waterbodies into degraded land. The findings link land degradation primarily to rapid urban expansion and intensified mineral extraction. The study highlights the need for sustainable land management, ecosystem restoration, and district-level monitoring systems to support land-use planning, community-led stewardship, and Ghana’s Land Degradation Neutrality objectives.