Spatial datasets of land use and land cover and forest change drivers in the Beira Corridor, Mozambique

Abstract

This repository contains spatial datasets of land use/land cover (LULC), forest change processes, and forest change drivers (FCD) for the Beira Corridor in central Mozambique. The datasets were developed using Landsat imagery, Random Forest classification, GLAD forest height products, field reference data, and spatial explanatory variables. The dataset includes: LULC maps for 2000 and 2020 Forest change processes (deforestation, forest degradation, regrowth, and plantations) Forest change driver maps Study area boundaries Metadata and class legends The datasets were produced using dry-season Landsat composites, vegetation indices (NDVI, NDWI, NBR), SRTM elevation data, and Random Forest classification. Forest change processes were identified using a decision-tree approach combining land-cover transitions and GLAD forest height gain/loss datasets. The study area covers approximately 61,836 km2 within the Beira Corridor in central Mozambique, a region dominated by Miombo woodlands undergoing rapid land-use change driven by agriculture, charcoal production, logging, and infrastructure expansion. Spatial characteristics: Spatial resolution: 30 m Projection: WGS84 / UTM Zone 36S (EPSG:32737) Format: GeoTIFF Potential applications include: deforestation monitoring forest degradation assessment restoration planning biodiversity conservation carbon accounting fire ecology landscape modelling Associated publication: Lisboa, S.N., Grinand, C., Betbeder, J., Montfort, F., & Blanc, L. (2024). Disentangling the drivers of deforestation and forest degradation in the Miombo landscape: A case study from Mozambique. International Journal of Applied Earth Observation and Geoinformation, 130, 103904. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jag.2024.103904