Abstract
<title>Abstract</title> <p>Human-induced land-use and land-cover (LULC) changes remain primary drivers of biodiversity loss in tropical Miombo ecosystems. This study evaluates the ecological recovery of Ugalla River National Park (URNP), Tanzania, following its 2019 transition from a multiple-use reserve to a strictly protected landscape. By integrating multi-temporal remote sensing data (2014–2024) with line-transect distance sampling, we assessed LULC transitions and the subsequent spatial responses of large-mammal populations. Results demonstrate significant passive restoration, evidenced by a "U-shaped" trend in the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and a sharp 78% reduction in cropland. Woodland cover expanded by approximately 2,700 ha annually following the cessation of extractive activities. Large mammal distributions revealed clear spatial heterogeneity; grasslands emerged as critical "resource hotspots," accounting for about 76.4% of wildlife detections. Buffalo (100%), Zebra (93.8%), Defassa waterbuck (92.9%), Roan antelope (87.5%), and Impala (82.6%) were predominantly sighted in grassland areas. In contrast, Sable antelope (55.6%), Common duiker (60.0%), and African elephant (42.9%) were relatively detected more in woodland habitat. These findings provide empirical evidence that elevating protected-area status is a high-impact strategy for achieving the global "30x30" conservation target and advancing UN Sustainable Development Goal 15 (Life on Land). By catalyzing habitat connectivity and enhancing carrying capacity, strict protection facilitates rapid ecosystem resilience. We recommend integrating long-term ecological monitoring with sustained anti-poaching enforcement to ensure the permanence of these restoration gains. This study underscores the efficacy of strict protection as a cornerstone for restoring the ecological integrity of African woodland ecosystems.</p>