Examining Community Perceptions on the Impacts of Land Use and Land Cover Change on Urban Environments: Evidence from Ayat Tafo Condominium Development in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
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Date
2025-12-01
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
Globally, urban areas face rapid changes in LULC driven by population growth. In sub-Saharan Africa, these changes frequently happen without proper planning, causing biodiversity loss and environmental degradation. In Addis Ababa, condominium developments, including Ayat Tafo, have intensified pressure on green-infrastructure, disturbed-drainage functionality, and degrade ecosystem-functionality. Although quick condominium development and visible environmental dreadful conditions at the Ayat Tafo 20/80 site, the fine-scale biophysical effects of LULC change and the role of community insight and involvement in undertaking these challenges remain mainly undocumented and poorly understood. As a result, this study attempts to examine community perceptions of Land Use and Land cover change impacts on urban environments. The study used a mixed-methods approach using GIS-based time-series LULC analysis (2015–2025), and household surveys (questionnaire), site observations, and key-informant interview were used to collect firsthand data. Sample size of the study was 368 household and 8 key informant, systematic random sampling and purposive sampling technique was used respectively. To analyses quantitative and qualitative data, SPSS, Excel, and ArcGIS 10.8, software were used. The finding revealed wide alteration of vegetated, wetland, and open spaces into built-up areas. About 97% of residents observed foremost LULC changes, with urban development and land conversion as leading trends. Waste administration, loss of green areas, and water deficiencies were identified as serious challenges. Although the result revealed that 73% believed community involvement is effective while, 62% stated no participation due to absence of awareness, economic-constraint, and weak institutional corporation. The study concludes that LULC change at the community scale has created unified ecological, infrastructural, and social challenges, which can’t be addressed without participatory planning and green- infrastructure approaches. It recommends combined waste management, re-establishment of green and wetland spaces, viable water controlling, and supported community commitment inside urban planning frameworks to certify ecologically resilient and socially all-encompassing condominium growth.
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Community Participation, GIS and Spatial Analysis, Land Use Land Cover Change, Sustainable Landscape, Urban Environment