Tropical forests are important sources of securing basic human needs (livelihoods) for both the deprived and well-endowed but are also critical for reducing metric tonnes of carbon (tC) emitted from deforestation and land degradation. However, inequalities of human population and land-use land-cover change (LULCC) are existential threats to sustainable tropical forest reserve management and their aboveground biomass carbon stock (AGBCS) in Africa. This study examines the extent of LULCC, AGBCS and perception of livelihood effects on the Yenku Forest Reserve (YFR) in the Central Region of Ghana. Google Earth Engine remotely sensed Landsat data analysis using supervised classification, change detection, mixed with qualitative data from individual in-depth interviews and focus group discussions with inhabitants were used. The overall classification accuracy was 89.1%, 90.8% and 89.8% for the LULC in 2000, 2010 and 2020 respectively. Farming, charcoal production, hunting and harvesting non-timber forest products were the main livelihood activities impacting LULCC and AGBCS in the reserve. Open degraded forest was estimated at 1627ha, 1764ha, 1784ha out of 2293ha, corresponding to 36,349.6tC, 39,395.70tC, 39,840.0tC respectively in 2000, 2010 and 2020. Dense degraded forest cover yielded the least carbon stock of 938.6tC compared to 39,840.0tC from less dense degraded forest cover. These findings would aid policy decisions toward achieving United Nations land degradation neutrality and sustainable development goals (SDGs) one, ten and fifteen while ensuring YFR sustainability. Deprived forest-fringe communities, traditional authorities and other relevant stakeholders need to actively adopt gendered livelihood objectives to achieve SDGs, carbon and land degradation neutralities within YFR.

热带森林是保障贫困人口和富裕人口的基本人类需求（生计）的重要来源，但对于减少因森林砍伐和土地退化而排放的公吨碳（tC）也至关重要。然而，人口不平等和土地利用土地覆被变化（LULCC）是非洲可持续热带森林保护区管理及其地上生物量碳储量（AGBCS）的生存威胁。本研究考察了 LULCC、AGBCS 的程度以及对加纳中部地区 Yenku 森林保护区 (YFR) 生计影响的看法。谷歌地球引擎遥感陆地卫星数据分析使用监督分类、变化检测、混合来自个人深入访谈和与居民的焦点小组讨论的定性数据。2000 年、2010 年和 2020 年 LULC 的总体分类准确率分别为 89.1%、90.8% 和 89.8%。农业、木炭生产、狩猎和采伐非木材林产品是影响保护区内 LULCC 和 AGBCS 的主要生计活动。2000 年、2010 年和 2020 年，开放退化森林估计为 1627 公顷、1764 公顷、1784 公顷，相当于 36,349.6 吨、39,395.70 吨和 39,840.0 吨。与 39,840 吨相比，密集的退化森林产生的碳储量最少，为 938.6 吨。密度较低的退化森林覆盖。这些发现将有助于实现联合国土地退化中性和可持续发展目标 (SDG) 一、十和十五的政策决策，同时确保 YFR 的可持续性。贫困的森林边缘社区，