Spatio-Temporal Forest Cover Change Detection Using Remote Sensing and GIS Techniques: In the case of Masha Woreda, Sheka Zone, SNNPRS, Ethiopia
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Date
2015-05
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
The aim of this study was to detect the magnitude and rate of forest cover change over the last 42 years (between 1973 and 2015) and generate human disturbance risk map based on land use/ land cover of the area using Remote sensing and GIS techniques in case of Masha woreda. Forest Priority Area that covers the total area of around 6,835 ha and Post-classification comparison change detection methods and NDVI image differencing were employed. The major land use/ land cover types in the study area have been identified as: dense forest, moderately dense forest, Tea plantation, Wet land and rural settlement. The study made use of Landsat images of the year 1973, 1987 and 2015 to know forest cover changes and rate of deforestation during the different periods and the type of land cover to which the forest is changed to. In addition Multi Criteria Evaluation in a GIS environment was used to come up with the final human disturbance risk map. The result of change detection analysis revealed that the area had remarkable land-use/land cover changes in general and forest cover change in particular. Specifically, the forest cover land declined from 6,372 ha in 1973 to 6,292 ha in 1987 and dropped to 4,635 ha in the year 2015 in the study area. In addition to this, forest cover risk map (susceptibility for deforestation) was done by considering factors such as Proximity to rural settlement, Proximity to road, proximity to tea plantation, proximity to river and elevation. In the meantime, three level of susceptibility to forest cover change compartment map was generated with the support of GIS technology. Based on the forest cover areas of the year 2015 (4,635 ha) of study area, about 744.17 ha, 587 .4 ha and 2,992.74 ha of forest cover land are categorized under high, moderate and low susceptible to forest cover change respectively. The problem of forest cover change is directly linked with the activity of man such as expansion of rural settlements and tea plantation. In order to understand impact of forest cover change corrective measures are suggested.
Key Words:- Masha Woreda, Remote sensing and GIS, Deforestation
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Keywords
Masha Woreda, Remote sensing and GIS, Deforestation