Application of remote sensing and GIS inland use/land cover mapping and change detection in a part of south western Nigeria

Abstract

Mapping land use/land cover (LULC) and change detection using remote sensing and GIS techniques is an area of interest that has been attracting increasing attention. This paper is an attempt to assess the changes in land use/land cover in some parts of south-western Nigeria over a 16 year period. The study made use of LandSat imageries of 1986 and 2002. The images were classified using Maximum Likelihood classification method. The results show that disturbed/degraded forest constituted the most extensive type of land use/land cover in the study area. The increasing population and economic activities were noted to be putting pressure on the available land resources. This paper highlights the importance of remote sensing and GIS techniques in apprehending the situation in south-western Nigeria.

Keywords: LULC, conversion, modification, forest reserve, change detection, classification scheme, encroachment