Evaluation of land use land cover changes using remote sensing Landsat images and pastoralists perceptions on range cover changes in Borana rangelands, Southern Ethiopia

Abstract

Studies on land-use/land cover (LULC) changes through remote sensing techniques represent vital tools for generating rational information for sound decision making on natural resources management. Related to the launching of the firstLandsat satellite in 1973 there is a region of attention on the use of remote sensing techniques as tool for planning the appropriate management in rangelands. This study therefore aimed at mapping LULC changes and identifying the associated changes that have occurred in the Borana rangelands up to 2003 as well as assess pastoralist perceptions on the driving forces. Landsat image scenes of Multispectral Sensor, Thematic Mapper and Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus acquired in 1973, 1986 and 2003 were used to investigate LULC changes over time. The analysis of images revealed that woodland cover of the Borana rangelands increased from 11.3% in the 1973 to 49.26% in 2003. However, grassland cover declined from 58 to 32% during the same period. Cultivated areas gradually increased from 2 to 5% but it is lower compared to the woodland cover expansion rate. The decrease of normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) values for 2003 compared to the 1973 is also an evident for the reduction of vegetation. Severe droughts, population increase, poor government policy are among the major drivers of LULC changes in the study area. The implementation of appropriate pastoral land-use policies based on the ecological potential of the region and pastoralists local knowledge have all been suggested for ensuring sustainable management of Borana rangeland and improve the livelihood of pastoralists.

Reported driving factors of land-use/cover changes and its mounting consequences in Ethiopia: A Review

“…Common causes in eastern parts of Ethiopia particularly in Diredawa administration and Harari regional state were collection of woods for fuel consumption, population growth, agricultural expansion, charcoal production, livestock ranching and settlement expansion (Amisalu and Toru, 2018). Factors like farmland expansion, population pressure, deforestation and collection of woods for construction and charcoal production for fuel consumption, poor land tenure policy and land fragmentations have been significant driving factors in Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples Regional (SNNPR) state, central and southern Oromiya regional states (Berhan and Woldeamlak, 2014;Habtamu et al, 2018;Habtamu et al, 2017;Mikias, 2014;Gebrekidan et al, 2014;Hagos, 2014) Figure 2a and b. Driving factors prevailed in Tigray and Amhara regional states were associated with deforestations, high human and livestock population, charcoal production, agricultural expansion, prevalence of drought, resettlement (Samuale et al, 2014;Kebrom and Hedlund, 2000;Binyam et al, 2015;Miheretu and Yimer, 2017;Negasi et al, 2018;Mesfin et al, 2016;Worku and Csaplovies, 2015).…”

The study of land use and land cover (LULC) dynamics and the perception of local people in Aykoleba, Northern Ethiopia

“…This causes environmental decline, including biodiversity loss and ecosystem disservice (Barana et al, 2016). Ayalew (2008), Tesfahun andTemesgen (2014), andHabtamu et al (2018) also discussed that the population dynamics and its associated problems to be major drivers of LULC change. Similarly, a study from Central Malawi reported that population growth, firewood collection, charcoal production, and poverty to be main drivers of LULC changes (Munthali et al, 2019).…”

“…Similarly, Barana et al (2016) discussed that conversion of forests and woodlands into cultivated land is chiefly due to the desire of land for crop production in order to satisfy the food demand to the ever growing human population, which terminated with the loss of land productivity and land degradation. Habtamu et al (2018) showed that the expansion of cropland in the Borana rangeland has meaningfully contributed to the change of grassland management practice into the cultivated land.…”

“…Furthermore, they have stated that the change in agricultural land policy along with the introduction of rice farming triggered the expansion of agricultural land at the cost of other land use types. Pastoralists in Borana range land of the Southern Ethiopia perceived that government policy is the second major among drivers of LULC changes, preventing the movement of pastoralists was a government rural development strategy that brought a large number of human and livestock population in the area, and caused change in the rangeland conditions (Habtamu et al, 2018).…”

Assessment of forest management practices and livelihood income around Arero dry Afromontane forest of Southern Oromia Region in Borana Zone, South Ethiopia

“…Several studies covering wider disciplines have been conducted in the area to contribute to the improved understanding of the ecological and socio-economic conditions for better management of the forest. Studies such as plant diversity and Ethnobotany (Kujawska et al, 2017), vegetation change (Habtamu, 2018), invasive woody plant species (Garuma and Wendawek, 2016) and socio-economic importance of Boke salt house (Wakshum et al, 2018), and population status and socio-economic importance of gum and resin bearing species (Adefris et al, 2012). However, most of these studies were made in the lowlands (rangeland and woodland) of Borana zone and only a few studies are made in the Arero forest to capture the relation between livelihoods, traditional forest management practices of communities in collaboration with formal (governmental and non-governmental) institutions and forest conditions.…”