Tropical forest degradation monitoring in resource-constrained environments requires classification approaches that balance predictive accuracy with computational efficiency. While deep learning methods often achieve high classification performance, their reliance on large labeled datasets and GPU-based infrastructure limits operational deployment in many conservation contexts. This study proposes and evaluates a systematically optimized Random Forest classification framework for tropical forest degradation detection in the Congo Basin using Landsat 8 multispectral imagery. A multi-class model distinguishing intact forest, degraded forest, and non-forest was developed using six spectral bands and four ecologically motivated vegetation indices (NDVI, EVI, NDMI, and NBR). Ground truth data consisted of 450 stratified samples (180 intact forest, 150 degraded forest, 120 non-forest; imbalance ratio 1.5) validated through field surveys and high-resolution imagery collected during the 2022 dry season. Class imbalance was mitigated through balanced class weighting during training. Model optimization was achieved through controlled hyperparameter tuning with five-fold cross-validation, targeting improved generalization while preserving computational efficiency. The optimized Random Forest achieved an overall accuracy of 89.3% (Kappa = 0.834) on an independent test set, significantly outperforming CART and SVM baselines while maintaining a training time under two minutes on standard CPU hardware. Class-specific F1-scores ranged from 0.88 to 0.91, indicating balanced performance across all land-cover classes. Processing the full 7500 km² study area required approximately 14 minutes without GPU acceleration. These results demonstrate that systematically optimized ensemble learning provides a robust, interpretable, and operationally deployable solution for tropical forest degradation monitoring, particularly suited to conservation agencies operating under limited computational and financial resources.

Keywords: random forest, tropical forest monitoring automated classification change detection deforestation machine learning landsat 8 congo basin