Analysis of land use/land cover of Girei, Yola North and South Local Government Areas of Adamawa State, Nigeria using satellite imagery

Abstract

This research demonstrated the use of satellite imagery in detecting changes in land use/ land cover on the fringes of urban areas. Satellite data of the same geographical area, recorded over a decade, were used to identify changes in the pattern of land use/land cover. The study used multi date satellite imageries namely, Landsat MSS 1978 and SPOT5 2007. The images were separately classified and then compared using ILWIS 3.3 and Erdas Imagine 9.3 Versions. The land use/land cover statistics results obtained from the two classifications process showed that built-up areas, sand, water bodies, and open/barren land were found to have been increasing at alarming rate while agricultural land and scrubs were encroached upon by other land use/land cover types. The study showed that land use/land cover change was better captured and monitored through the use of satellite imagery that served as a means of efficiently updating digital databases as shown in the research.

Keywords: Remote sensing, GIS, Urban-rural interaction, Planning, Land use, Satellite imagery, Change detection