Geospatial assessment of land use and land cover dynamics in the mid-zone of Ghana (original) (raw)
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Modelling forest loss and other land use change dynamics in Ashanti Region of Ghana
Forest losses amid land use dynamics have become issues of outermost concern in the light of climate change phenomenon which has captivated the world’s attention. It is imperative to monitor land use change and to forecast forms of future land use change on a temporal and spatial basis. The main thrust of this study is to assess land use change in the lower half of the Ashanti Region of Ghana within a 40 year period. The analysis of land use change uses a combination method in Remote Sensing (RS) and Geographic Information System (GIS). Cellular Automata and Markov Chain (Cellular Automata-Markov) are utilized to predict for land use land cover (LULC) change for 2020 and 2030. The processes used include: (i) a data pre-processing (geometric corrections, radiometric corrections, subset creation and image enhancement) of epoch Landsat images acquired in 1990, 2000, and Disaster Monitoring Constellation (DMC) 2010; (ii) classification of multispectral imagery (iii) Change detection mapping (iv) using Cellular Automata-Markov to generate land use change in the next 20 years. The results illustrate that in years 2020 to 2030 in the foreseeable future, there will an upsurge in built up areas, while a decline in agricultural land use is envisaged. Agricultural land use would still be the dominant land use type. Forests would be drastically reduced from close to 50% in 1990 to just fewer than 10% in 2030. Land use decision making must be very circumspect, especially in an era where Ghana has opted to take advantage of REDD+. Studies such as this provide vital pieces of information which may be used to monitor, direct and influence land use change to a more beneficial and sustainable manner.
Journal of Geoscience and Environment Protection
Ghana like all countries in Sub-Saharan region of Africa have long been undergoing intense land use land cover changes (LULCC) which have given rise to extensive forest loss (deforestation and degradation), loss of arable land and land degradation. This study assessed the past LULCC in the Atwima Nwabiagya which contains the Barekese and Owabi Headworks) and the old Kumasi Local Assemblies' areas in Ghana and projected the scenario in 2040 for business-as-usual (BAU). The synergies of satellite imagery of 1990, 2000, 2010 and 2020 were classified with an overall accuracy of 90%. Markov Cellular-Automata method was used to forecast the future LULC pattern after detecting main driving forces of LULCC. The findings showed an extensive increase in built up areas from 11% in 1990 to 39% in 2020 owing largely to 23% decrease in forest cover and 6% decrease in agricultural lands within the past 30 years (1990-2020). The projected LULC under the BAU scenario for 2040 showed built-up surge from 39% to 45% indicating additional forest loss from 43% in 2020 to 40% and decreasing agricultural land from 17% to 14%. The main driver for the LULCC is clearly anthropogenic driven as the human population in the study area keeps rising every censual year. This study exemplifies the fast-tracked forest loss, loss of arable land and challenges on ecosystem sustainability of the Barekese-Owabi-Kumasi landscape. The current and projected maps necessitate the apt implementation of suitable inter
Geospatial Analysis of Land Use and Land Cover Transitions from 1986–2014 in a Peri-Urban Ghana
Geosciences
Recently, peri-urbanisation has led to the transformation of the rural landscape, changing rural land uses into peri-urban land uses, under varying driving factors. This paper analyzes the dynamic transitions among identified land use and land cover (LULC) types in the Bosomtwe district of Ghana, from 1986 to 2014. An integrated approach of geo-information tools of satellite remote sensing in Earth Resource Data Analysis System (ERDAS) Imagine 13 and ArcMap 10.2 Geographic Information System (GIS), with Markov chain analytical techniques were used to examine the combined forest land cover transitions, relative to build-up, recent fallows and grasslands and projected possible factors influencing the transitions under business as usual and unusual situations. Statistical analyses of the classified Landsat TM, ETM+ and Landsat 8 Operational Land Imager and Thermal Infrared Sensor (OLI/TIS) indicated that over the period of 24 years, the Bosomtwe district has undergone a series of land use conversions with remarkable forest losses especially between 2002 and 2010. In 2010 dense forest cover was degraded to low forest by 4040 ha indicating 0.40% transition probability in the future. There was a remarkable increase of built-up/bare and concrete area with a 380% increment in the 1986-2002 transition periods. The application of the Markov futuristic land use dynamics by the years 2018 and 2028, projected from the 2014 LULC indicated a future steady decline in the area coverage of the dense forest to low forest category. This is currently being driven (as at the 2017 LULC trends), by the combined effects of increasing build up bare and concrete surface land uses as well as the expanding recent fallows and grassland. The paper concluded that the health of the ecosystem and biodiversity of the lake Bosomtwe need to be sustainably managed by the Bosomtwe district assembly.
Environmental Challenges, 2021
Land-use and land-cover (LULC) changes affect the capacity of landscapes to provide forest and non-timber forest products and other ecosystem services. Because of that, information is needed on the causes and the extent of these changes to be able to develop the appropriate management strategies for restoring the forest cover and associated ecosystem services. Using remote sensing techniques, spatio-temporal changes were estimated for the period between 1986 and 2020 with the aim to determine the extent of forest cover changes in the Asutifi North District of Ahafo Region of Ghana and to make suggestions about how to manage those areas. The following five Land-use and land-cover classes were classified namely, water bodies/swampy areas, forest, builtup/barelands, open vegetation and mining areas. The results show that forest is the main land-use and land-cover (LULC) that has decreased sharply from approximately 59 thousand hectares in 1986 to 34 thousand hectares by 2020. This reduction in the forest cover may be attributed to expanded agricultural activities that are also a result of population increase. Other related land uses such as mining and built-up areas were also found to be significant contributors to deforestation in the area. The study concludes that LULC have changed significantly over the years and may drive changes in the landscape's ability to provide ecosystem services. Management strategies must be developed to address these changes and any such strategy should consider the population increases and poor anthropogenic practices occurring within these landscapes. Agriculture intensification and practicing of climate-smart agriculture may be the only viable long-term options for achieving food and environmental security.
Land Use Land Cover (LULC) Change Analysis of the Akuapem-North Municipality, Eastern Region; Ghana
International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science, 2021
Land-use changes are a significant determinant of land cover changes; this is on the grounds that it is human specialists; people, families, and private firms that make explicit moves that drive land-use change. An increment in family size, traveler populace, and abatement in the monetary prosperity of the indigenous area compels agricultural expansion. This paper aimed at analysing the Land-use Land-cover change pattern in the Akuapem-North Municipality and provide experimental record of land-cover changes in the municipality thereby broadening the insight of local authorities and land managers to better comprehend and address the complicated land-use system of the area and develop an improved land-use management strategies that could better balance urban expansion and environmental protection. Land cover change was observed through advanced processing and classification dependent on five multi-temporal medium resolution satellite symbolism (Landsat: 1986, 1990, 2002, 2017) into five classes. From this, precisely arranged pixel data were assigned to decide each land cover class size and the quantity of changed pixels into different classes through spatial change detection. It was discovered that land cover from 1986 to 2017 shows rapid changes in the landscape as there is high growth in built-up area. However, farmland and forest cover areas has reduced. Urban built-up area has extended outwards from the central-eastern part to the rest of the areas and has covered most of the northern, western, and southern parts. If the present growth trend continues, most of the vegetated areas will be converted into built-up areas in the near future, which may create ecological imbalance and affect the climate of the municipality.
Land Cover Changes in Ghana over the Past 24 Years
Sustainability
Changes in land cover (LC) can lead to environmental challenges, but few studies have investigated LC changes at a country wide scale in Ghana. Tracking LC changes at such a scale overtime is relevant for devising solutions to emerging issues. This study examined LC changes in Ghana for the past almost two and half decades covering 1995–2019 to highlight significant changes and opportunities for sustainable development. The study used land cover data for six selected years (1995, 2000, 2005, 2010, 2015, and 2019) obtained from the European Space Agency. The data was analyzed using R, ArcGIS Pro and Microsoft Excel 365 ProPlus. The original data was reclassified into eight LC categories, namely: agriculture, bare area, built-up, forest, grassland, other vegetation, waterbody, and wetland. On average, the results revealed 0.7%, 131.7%, 23.3%, 46.9%, and 11.2% increases for agriculture, built-up, forest, waterbody, and wetland, respectively, across the nation. However, losses were obse...
Historical and Future Land-Cover Change in a Municipality of Ghana
2011
Urban land-cover change is increasing dramatically in most developing nations. In Africa and in the New Juaben municipality of Ghana in particular, political stability and active socioeconomic progress has pushed the urban frontier into the countryside at the expense of the natural ecosystems at ever-increasing rates. Using Landsat satellite imagery from 1985 to 2003, the study found that the urban core expanded by 10% and the peri-urban areas expanded by 25% over the period. Projecting forward to 2015, it is expected that urban infrastructure will constitute 70% of the total land area in the municipality. Giving way to urban expansion were losses in open woodlands (19%), tree fallow (9%), croplands (4%), and grass fallow (3%), with further declines expected for 2015. Major drivers of land-cover changes are attributed to demographic changes and past microeconomic policies, particularly the Structural Adjustment Programme (SAP); the Economic Recovery Programme (ERP); and, more recently, the Ghana Poverty Reduction Strategy (GPRS). Pluralistic land administration, complications in the land tenure systems, institutional inefficiencies, and lack of capacity in land administration were also
Remote Sensing Study of Land Use/Cover Change in West Africa
Increasing population and other anthropogenic activities have profound effect on large areas of forested land and other land use/cover forms throughout the world. There is a certain cause and effect relationship between changing practice for development and land use change, thus necessitating an assessment of land use dynamics and the projection trend. A combination of geospatial and remote techniques were utilized to evaluate the present and future landuse/ landcover scenario of southern part of the Western Region of Ghana. Multi-temporal satellite imageries of the Landsat series and DMC were used to map the changes in land use from 1990 to 2010. Four major land use classes (Forest, Agriculture, Built-up and water) were considered as the most dynamic land cover/use (LULC) practice. Markov modelling was applied for prediction of probable land use/ land cover change scenario for the years 2020, 2030 and 2040. The study showed that in years 2020 to 2040 in the predictable future, there will be a gradual increase in built up areas, while a stability in agricultural land use is envisaged. Agricultural land use would still remain the dominant land use type. Forests would be drastically reduced from close to 87% in 1990 to just fewer than 20% in 2040. This precarious situation would demand that prudent land use decisions to be made to keep Ghana's REDD+ program on track and to mitigate the effects of the climate change phenomenon.
West African Journal of Applied Ecology, vol. 26(SI), 2018
Kakum Conservation Area which is roughly 1187km2, extends over large portions of forest reserves in the Assin South District of Ghana. The district hosts the remaining biodiversity hotspots within highly fragmented rainforest of West Africa. Although the conservation is gazetted as protected area, it has since been impacted by illegal chainsaw logging, expanding agricultural land use and built construction to meet the housing needs of the rapidly growing population of the district. However, there is paucity of data on the magnitude, rate and types of land cover change occurring in the district. This study seeks to address these by examining the magnitude, the rate and direction of change in land cover between 1991 and 2015. The study objective was achieved using supervised classification and post classification change detection of remotely sensed Landsat satellite imagery of the district taken in 1991, 2001 and 2015. The results show that, within the study period, the population of the area increased by 2.9%, thick forest decreased by 8.2km2, light forest increased by 5.3km2 and built environment increased by 2.9km2 per annum. These results are considered potential hindrance to sustainable development, including biodiversity conservation in the forest reserves and climate change mitigation in general. There is therefore need for measures to end deforestation and stimulate reforestation of the lost forest cover. The district needs to initiate an enquiry into the effectiveness of the current forest reserve management practices and sustainability of land use systems in the district.
Assessment of past and future land use/cover change over Tordzie watershed in Ghana
Frontiers in Environmental Science
Land use/ land cover (LULC) change has been identified as the main driving force of global change. The study investigated LULC change in Tordzie watershed in Ghana and predicted the future development. The supervised classification procedure was applied to Landsat images of 1987, 2003, and 2017. The cellular automata–Markov model embedded in IDRISI 17 software was employed to model LULC for the years 2030 and 2050. The trend of LULC change was exploited from 1987 to 2003, from 2003 to 2017, and projected to 2030 and 2050. Settlement and crop land, respectively, increased from 2.68% to 16.46% in 1987 to 3.65% and 53.47% in 2003 and finally to 20.61% and 58.52% in 2017. Vegetation cover declined from 23.2% in 1987 to 13.9% in 2003 and finally to 11.3% in 2017. The annual rate of change was determined. In 2030 and 2050, the dominant land use type will be crop land (56%). However, it decreased between 2017 and 2030 by −1.73%. The findings of the study are very relevant to land and water...