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Human‐induced land use and land cover (LUC) changes threaten the ecosystem services of the vulnerable tropical afro‐alpine vegetation. Several LUC change studies are available for the Ethiopian highlands, but relatively little is known about LUC change in the afro‐alpine zones. In this study, LUC changes between 1964 and 2012 were mapped for the afro‐alpine zone of Lib Amba Mountain, part of the Abune Yosef Mountains in North Ethiopia. Historical LUC was derived from georeferenced aerial photographs of 1964 and 1982, and the present LUC (2012) from Bing Map satellite imagery. Based on these successive LUC maps a time‐depth map, LUC proportions, LUC transition matrices and LUC change trajectories were calculated. Two main phases of LUC change could be distinguished linked to the neo‐Boserupian perspective. (i) Between 1964 and 1982, there were large‐scale deforestation and general degradation of the vegetation above 3500 m, in a period of low population pressure; (ii) Between 1982 and 2012, an intensification of land use prevailed accompanied with a slight regeneration of the vegetation and the Erica arborea L. forest, under increased population pressure. Depth interviews indicated that local and governmental land management measures are very important for the protection against vegetation depletion and soil degradation. Quick recovery of the forest on Lib Amba provides confidence that degraded afro‐alpine areas would benefit in a short time from complete protection, given the vicinity of remaining patches of afro‐alpine vegetation. Management interventions are thus vital to restore the important ecosystem services of the afro‐alpine vegetation belt. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
