Community Socio-cultural Knowledge of Deforestation and Forest Degradation Shapes Local Perceptions of Conservation Strategies in a Tropical Forest Reserve of Benin.

Efforts to promote biodiversity conservation and climate change mitigation increasingly rely on reducing deforestation and forest degradation (DD). However, how community characteristics and local perceptions of DD drivers and forest ecosystem dynamics influence forest conservation strategies remain understudied. Using the Trois-Rivières Forest Reserve (TRF) in northern Benin as a case study, land-cover change analysis and rural appraisal were combined to examine how socio-cultural characteristics and environmental perceptions shape conservation strategies in a context of ongoing DD. Landsat images (1990, 2006, and 2022) were analyzed, and 297 households were surveyed across 12 villages with severe deforestation rates. Principal component analysis and structural equation modeling were used to investigate the interlinkages between socio-demographic and socio-economic variables, perceived direct and indirect drivers, and conservation strategies. Between 1990 and 2006, the coverage of agricultural land, bare soil, and built-up areas increased by 40-283%, while that of dense forests, woodlands, and tree/shrub savannas decreased by 15 - 65%. The deforestation rate reached 32% between 2006 and 2022. Perceived direct drivers of DD primarily included the collection of non-timber forest products (55%) and agricultural expansion (49%), whereas lack of agricultural land (69%), declining soil fertility (66%), and human population growth (33%) were identified as the main indirect drivers. Conservation strategies included prohibiting tree cutting (82%), planting native species (81%), and practicing agroforestry (48%). Perceptions of DD drivers, ecosystem changes, and conservation strategies differed among ethnic groups. Moreover, age and ethnicity significantly influenced perceptions of the indirect drivers of DD, while income and ethnicity affected perceptions of forest vegetation change. Perceived indirect drivers of DD were positively associated with conservation strategies (p-value < 0.001). These findings can support policymakers and forest managers in developing targeted conservation strategies that account for local socio-cultural differences and perceived drivers of DD.