Exploring Socio-Ecological Change at Multiple Temporal Scales in the Bas-Ogooué Ramsar Site, Gabon

Abstract

Environmental and climatic changes interact within specific socio-ecological contexts shaped by historical human-landscape interactions. This study explores the interconnection between long- and short-term drivers of environmental change and current landscape uses in the Gabon’s Bas-Ogooué Ramsar site. Working in five villages, we combined georeferenced data of human settlements (n = 166) with individual and group interviews and household surveys (n = 108 informants), to map landscape dynamics over time. We found that the current landscape reflects four periods of human mobility shaped by shifts in land governance and resource management practices. Documenting 30 reported local indicators of environmental change and their respective perceived drivers, we analyzed their interwoven and cascading effects on the social-ecological system. Recent impacts of conservation policies, combined with environmental changes, challenge local livelihoods and the balance of the social-ecological system. These insights advance African historical ecology and emphasize the need for inclusive, context-sensitive strategies to achieve sustainable conservation.