Analysis of land-cover/use change dynamics in Manica Province in Mozambique in a period of transition (1990–2004)

The land-cover/use change dynamics in Manica Province in Mozambique are analysed, based upon interpretation of LANDSAT images, to assess trends and highlight management suggestions considering current policies in place that include the ownership and participation of local communities in natural resources management and the recognition of traditional ownership systems. Applying an object-oriented approach to compare the year 2004 with 1990, one observes that land-cover/use changes are not distributed evenly in the province. A substantial decrease in areas with trees belonging to the ‘miombo ecosystem’ occurred and an increase of cultivated areas. The nature of agriculture is changing from shifting cultivation to more permanent types. These changes are found in prevalence on gentle slopes and close to the road network.The shift in equilibrium between the cultivated and (semi-) natural vegetated areas to cultivated areas may reduce the availability of forest products and reduce the free ecological services provided by trees. Prolonged cultivation in the same area represents a critical limit for destruction of rootstock and therefore miombo regrowth potential. Community-based management of the natural resources should thus be careful not to disturb the delicate balance of remaining miombo and give emphasis to the regulation of land-use activities, otherwise the negative impacts of land-cover/use change dynamics may fall disproportionately on the poorest members of society.