Recovery of forest cover and connectivity in a mountain ecosystem: evidence from Cofre de Perote National Park

Abstract

Aim of study: To assess changes in land-use and landscape connectivity in Cofre de Perote National Park (CPNP), Mexico, from 2017 to 2024, and to understand how different management subzones influence land-use and forest-connectivity dynamics. Knowing more about these processes is essential to guide adaptive management in protected areas facing landscape dynamics due to anthropogenic activities. Area of study: This study was carried out in a high-altitude protected area located in the center of the state of Veracruz, Mexico, including its designated buffer zone. Material and methods: We classified the land use and vegetation cover of the CPNP using Sentinel-2 satellite imagery at 10 m from 2017 to 2024, applying a Random Forest algorithm for classification. We assessed land use and land cover changes, as well as forest connectivity, across the park’s internal management subzones (22,330.47 ha), including forest restoration areas, traditional use, and public use zones, as well as a buffer zone located outside the park boundaries, using the Integral Index of Connectivity. Main results: From 2017 to 2024, forest cover increased by 1,290 ha within the park and 386 ha in the buffer zone, primarily replacing grasslands and, to a lesser extent, agricultural lands. Connectivity analysis showed significant improvements in forest cover connectivity values in the park, especially within the forest recovery subzone. However, traditional use and buffer zones exhibited mixed connectivity trends, with some areas experiencing declines due to land cover changes. Research highlights: Gains in forest cover and improved connectivity in key subzones represent an opportunity to increase ecosystem integrity and resilience in the face of threats posed by human activities around the CPNP. However, the situation in the buffer zone underscores the urgent need to implement integrated landscape management strategies that include the CPNP and adjacent areas to ensure long-term sustainability and resilience to current landscape dynamics.