Assessment of Changes in Landcover and Landuse in Ebonyi State, Using Remote Sensing Technique

Abstract

This study shows a 31 years multi-temporal changes in landuse and landcover in Ebonyi State, Southeastern Nigeria. Since 1996 when the study area became a State, Ebonyi has experienced significant changes in its landuse and landcover as a result of its fast urbanization process. Based on the unique advantage that multi-temporal observation offers, landsat imageries of 1984, 2000, 2007 and 2015 were sourced and analyzed using Erdas Imagine 9.2 and ArcGIS 10.2 tools for the spatio-temporal changes in landcover extent and also rate of change from 1984 to 2015. This study was carried out essentially to draw attention of all stakeholders in the urban development sector for the need to restrict those negative adverse changes arising from urbanization that could be detrimental to the environment. Analysis of imageries revealed that the extent of built –up areas in Ebonyi State increased from 42074.39 hectares in 1984 to 212762.3 hectares in 2015 representing a percentage increase of 35.8487%. While swamp rice farms gained (15.6850%) however, vegetation cover lost as much as 48.4662% in the 31 years period the study covered. The decrease in vegetation cover was found to have been replaced by increases in built –up and swamp rice farms areas. The study however, concluded that adequate measure must be taken to curtail the rate at which vegetation is been exploited for human use as it could led to harsh adverse effect that could be detrimental to the environment.  In addition, more people should be encouraged to plant trees so as to ameliorate the negative impact of these changes on the environment as well as humans. Institutions in charge of urban planning should also be strengthened for effective monitoring of urban expansion.

Keywords: Assessment; Landcover; Landuse; Ebonyi; remote sensing