Retrospective Analysis of Land Cover and Use Dynamics in Gilgel Abbay Watershed by Using GIS and Remote Sensing Techniques, Northwestern Ethiopia

Amare Sewnet Minale

Department of Geography and Environmental Studies, Bahir Dar University, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia.

DOI: 10.4236/ijg.2013.47093                

Abstract

This study was aimed at examining land cover changes for the last 35 years and its causative factors in Gilgel Abbay watershed by using GIS and remote sensing, survey and population data. The land use and cover changes study will help to apply the appropriate land use. The land cover/use status for the years 1973, 1986, 1995 and 2008 were examined using land sat images. The changes in different land cover units such as forest, wood and bush lands, grass, wetlands and water bodies, and farm and settlements were analyzed. Population change, tenure, poverty and lack of market and credit facilities in the watershed area were analyzed as causes of land cover changes. The results of the study have shown that during the last 35 years forest, grass lands, wetlands and lake areas were converted to farm and settlement areas. There was rapid increase of population with growth rates of 4.9% and 3.5% (1984-1994 and 1994-2007), respectively per annum which caused more land cover changes.

Keywords

Gilgel Abbay Catchment; Land Conversion; Causes of Land Cover Change; Population Increase; Socio-Economic Factors

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

References

[1]	W. Knorr, I. Pytharoulis, G. P. Petropoulos and N. Gobron, “Combined Use of Weather Forecasting and Satellite Remote Sensing Information for Fire Risk, Fire and Fire Impact Monitoring,” Computational Ecology and Software, Vol. 1, No. 2, 2011, pp. 112-120.
[2]	T. B. Reddy and M. A. Gebreselassie, “Analyses of Land Cover Changes and Major Driving Forces Assessment in Middle Highland Tigray, Ethiopia: The Case of Areas around Laelay-Koraro,” Journal of Biodiversity and Environmental Sciences, Vol. 1, No. 6, 2011, pp. 22-29.
[3]	D. J. Campbell, D. P. Lusch and T. A. Smucker, “Multiple Methods in the Study of Driving Forces of Land Use and Land Cover Change: A Case Study of SE Kajiado District Kenya,” Human Ecology, Vol. 33, No. 6, 2005, pp. 763-794. doi:10.1007/s10745-005-8210-y
[4]	J. A. Foley, R. DeFries, G. P. Asner, et al., “Global Consequences of Land Use,” Science, Vol. 309, No. 5734, 2005, pp. 570-574. doi:10.1126/science.1111772
[5]	G. McGranahan, P. J. Marcotullio, X. Bai, D. Balk and T. Braga, “Urban Systems,” In: R. Hassan, R. Scholes and N. Ash, Eds., Ecosystems and Human Well-Being: Current State and Trends, Island Press, Washington, DC, 2005, pp. 795-824.
[6]	E. W. Sanderson, K. H. Redford, A. Vedder, P. B. Coppolillo and S. E. Ward, “A Conceptual Model for Conservation Planning Based on Landscape Species Requirements,” Landscape and Urban Planning, Vol. 58, No. 1, 2002, pp. 41-56. doi:10.1016/S0169-2046(01)00231-6
[7]	D. L. Carr, “Tropical Deforestation,” In: D. Janell and K. Hansen, Eds., Geographical Perspectives on 100 Problems, Kluwer Academy, London, 2004, pp. 293-299.
[8]	W. B. Meyer and B. L. Turner, “Human Population Growth and Global Land-Use Cover Change,” Annual Review of Ecological Systems, Vol. 23, 1995, pp. 39-61. doi:10.1146/annurev.es.23.110192.000351
[9]	A. S. Mather and C. L. Needle, “The Relationships of Population and Forest Trends,” The Geographical Journal, Vol. 166, No. 1, 2000, pp. 2-13 doi:10.1111/j.1475-4959.2000.tb00002.x
[10]	H. J. Geist and E. F. Lambdin, “What Drives Tropical Deforestation? A Meta-Analysis of Proximate and Underlying Causes of Deforestation Based on Sub National Case Study Evidence,” LUCC International Project Office, Louvain-la-Neuve, 2001.
[11]	A. De Sherbinin, L. Van Wey, K. McSweeney, R. Aggarwal, A. Barbieri, et al., “Rural Household Demographics, Livelihoods and the Environment,” Global Environmental Change, Vol. 18, No. 1, 2008, pp. 38-53.
[12]	T. Kebrom and L. Hedlund, “Land Cover Changes between 1958 and 1986 in Kalu District, Southern Wello, Ethiopia,” Mountain Research and Development, Vol. 20, No. 1, 2000, pp. 42-51. doi:10.1659/0276-4741(2000)020[0042:LCCBAI]2.0.CO;2
[13]	B. Woldeamlak, “Land Cover Dynamics since the 1950s in Chemoga Watershed, Blue Nile Basin, Ethiopia,” Mountain Research and Development, Vol. 22, No. 3, 2003, pp. 263-269.
[14]	J. Nyassen, J. Poesen, J. Moeyersons, J. Deckers, M. Haile and A. Lang, “Human Impact on the Environment in the Ethiopian and Eritrean Highlands—A State of the Art,” Earth Science Reviews, Vol. 64, No. 3-4, 2004, pp. 273-320.
[15]	CSA (Central Satistics Authority), “The Population and Housing Census of Ethiopia; Results at a Country Level,” Office of Population and Housing Census Commission, Centra Statistical Authority, Addis Ababa, 2007.
[16]	E. Barbier and J. C. Burgess, “Economic Analysis of Deforestation in Mexico,” Environment and Development Economics, Vol. 1, No. 2, 1998, pp. 203-240.
[17]	S. Grepperud, “Population Pressure and Land Degradation: The Case of Ethiopia,” Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Vol. 30, No. 1, 1996, pp. 18-33. doi:10.1006/jeem.1996.0002
[18]	G. Zeleke and H. Hurni, “Implications of Land Use and Land Cover Dynamics for Mountain Resource Degradation in the Northwestern Ethiopian Highlands,” Mountain Research and Development, Vol. 21, No. 2, 2001, pp. 184-191. doi:10.1659/0276-4741(2001)021[0184:IOLUAL]2.0.CO;2
[19]	CSA (Central Satistics Authority), “The Population and Housing Census of Ethiopia; Results at a Country Level,” Office of Population and Housing Census Commission, Central Statistical Authority, Addis Ababa, 1984.
[20]	CSA (Central Satistics Authority), “The Population and Housing Census of Ethiopia; Results at a Country Level,” Office of Population and Housing Census Commission, Central Statistical Authority, Addis Ababa, 1994.
[21]	A. Yigremew, “Review of Landholding Systems and Policies in Ethiopia under the Different Regimes,” Working Paper No. 5, EEA/Ethiopian Economic Policy Research Institute, Addis Ababa, 2002.
[22]	A. Sewnet and K. K. Rao, “Impacts of Land Cover/Use Dynamics of Gilgel Abbay Catchment of Lake Tana on Climate Variability, Northwestern Ethiopia,” Applied Geomatics, Vol. 4, No. 3, 2012, pp. 155-163. doi:10.1007/s12518-012-0092-2