Gis and Remote Sensing In Land Use and Land Cover Change Detection and Land Degeradation: in Area Between Harar and Dire Dawa, Eastern Ethiopia
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Date
2006-06
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Addis Ababa Universty
Abstract
The study evaluated changes in landuse and landcover that occurred from 1985-2003 in the
area between Harer and Dire Dawa, eastern Ethiopia high land. The majority of the study area
falls in Alamaya woreda. The total study area covers about 650km2, so it can be representative
of a large part of Eastern Ethiopia highland, in terms of topography, climate, vegetation and
socioeconomic conditions.
The objectives of the study were to access the pattern and driving forces of landuse and land
cover changes and to analyze implication of the change on land and lake degradation. To this
end, remotely sensed data i.e. Landsat satellite images of 1985 and 2003 were used to produce
ten classes of landuse using Geographical Information System (GIS) with field verification.
The results show that during the last 20 years, grassland and shrubs decreased by 716.7 ha
(42.4%) and 391.2 ha (20.7%) respectively, mainly due to their conversion to agriculture
lands. Marsh area is the most converted class, it was expanded by over 705.9% of it’s size in
1985, which is resulted from drying up of lakes. Temporal croplands decreased by 7081.6 ha
(25.4%) while perennial cropland increased by 3050.8 ha (26.4%) woodlands and residential
area also increased in 2003.
Land and lake degradations are observed as major problems in the area. Land degradation is
increased by 3089.4 ha (20.5%) where as, lake and other water bodies are decreased by 524.1
ha (59.1%). These land use changes in general have got paramount implications upon the
environment and local people. Especially, land degradation which is intensifying itself in the
area requires immediate attention in particular.
Slope analyses have been also carried out based on selected and relevant land uses, such as,
bareland, temporal crop, shrubs and grasslands. So as the result illustrates, the highest changes
for barelands are seen in the slope range between 5.5- 9.6, in temporal croplands 9.7 – 19.5
and in shrubs and grasslands 0- 1.9.
Population growth, topography of the area, unwise use of land and other socio-economic
activities are major driving forces for the observed changes. Hence different landuse
practices, environmental rehabilitation programs and family planning education are some of
the appropriate interventions.
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Keywords
Landuse and Landcover