Doctoral Thesis

Working Title:
Understanding the Resource Nexus between Urban Sprawl, Landscape Fragmentation and Habitat Network Connectivity in Sierra Leone

Supervisors:
Prof. Dr.-Ing. Martin Behnisch, IOER and Dresden University of Technology; Prof. Serena Martha Coetzee, UNU-FLORES

TUD Faculty:
Faculty of Environmental Sciences

IOER Research area:
Spatial Information and Modelling

Abstract
Urban sprawl, landscape fragmentation, and habitat network connectivity are interlinked spatial phenomena that present significant challenges to sustainable development in rapidly urbanizing regions, particularly in the Global South. In Sierra Leone, these processes have intensified due to population growth, informal settlements, and infrastructure expansion, yet remain understudied in an integrated manner. Existing literature largely treats these components in isolation or in limited pairwise combinations, leaving critical gaps in understanding their cumulative impacts on environmental resources.
This research aims to assess the spatial and temporal dynamics of urban sprawl, landscape fragmentation, and habitat network connectivity in Sierra Leone and to examine how these patterns influence environmental resource demand and management. Guided by a Resource Nexus framework, the study will  review and synthesize existing data sources, tools, and modeling approaches for quantifying these phenomena,  evaluate spatial and temporal changes at the province, district, and city levels, and identify the primary drivers of change and propose a framework for sustainable environmental and landscape planning.
The study will provide novel, context-specific insights into how urban expansion is reshaping ecological systems and resource flows in Sierra Leone. Its findings will inform more effective land-use policies and decision-making processes, particularly in the face of limited data and planning capacity. By integrating urban sprawl, landscape fragmentation, and habitat network connectivity into a unified analytical model, this research supports the achievement of key Sustainable Development Goals, enhances academic understanding of urban ecological change, and promotes holistic strategies for environmental governance grounded in the Resource Nexus approach.

CV

Education:

Since 04/2025
Doctoral Candidate at the Dresden Leibniz Graduate School (DLGS); the United Nations University-Institute for Integrated Management of Material Fluxes and of Resources (UNU-FLORES); and Dresden University of Technology (TUD)

10/2020 – 11/2022
Dresden University of Technology (TUD), Dresden, Germany
Academic Degree: Master of Science (M.Sc.) in Tropical Forestry

10/2013 - 07/2016
Njala University, Freetown, Sierra Leone
Academic Degree: Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) with Honors in Forestry

10/2010 - 07/2013
Njala University, Freetown, Sierra Leone
Academic Degree: Higher Diploma in Forestry

Professional Experience:

03/2023 – 01/2025
Miro Forestry and Timber Products – Freetown, Sierra Leone
Assistant Planning Manager

06/2020 – 09/2020
Njala University – Freetown, Sierra Leone
Forest Technician

10/2017 – 06/2020
Miro Forestry and Timber Products – Freetown, Sierra Leone
Assistant Forester