Human activities and natural processes are driving significant land use and land cover (LULC) changes worldwide, with profound implications for ecosystem health and livelihoods. This study assesses the spatio-temporal dynamics of LULC change in the Southern Guinea Savannah agro-ecological zone of Taraba State, Nigeria, a critical food-producing region experiencing rapid environmental transformation. Using multi-temporal Landsat imagery for 1987, 2004, 2014, and 2024, a supervised classification was performed with the Random Forest algorithm in Google Earth Engine. The LULC maps, validated with high overall accuracies (78.65%–86.23%), reveal a stark transition over the 37-year period. The analysis indicates a substantial decline in natural vegetation cover, accompanied by a significant expansion of farmland and settlements. Bare land area also increased markedly, indicating widespread land degradation. The primary conversion pathways were from vegetation to farmland and subsequently to settlements, driven by agricultural expansion, population growth, and unsustainable land use practices. These changes highlight intense pressure on the region’s natural resources, leading to habitat fragmentation and a loss of ecosystem services. The study concludes that urgent, sustainable land management policies are needed to mitigate further degradation and balance agricultural development with environmental conservation in this socio-ecologically vital zone.
