Affiliation:
1. Hawassa University, College of Agriculture, Department of Rural Development and Agribusiness, Awasa, Ethiopia
2. Hawassa University, Wondo Genet College of Forestry and Natural Resource, Department of Geographic Information Science, Awasa, Ethiopia
Abstract
Changes in land use and land cover (LULC) reached a point where we must reconcile. Thus, this study was conducted to assess the LULC changes, deriving forces, and the local community perceptions in Derashe, Southern Ethiopia. Landsat Series sensors’ 4, 5, and 8 imagery was used to analyze the LULC over the year. Focus group discussions (FGDs) and key informant interviews (KIIs) were used to assess the deriving force and perceptions. Maximum likelihood of the supervised digital image classification technique was employed. Postclassification was used to detect and quantify changes. Deriving force and perception data were analyzed through descriptive statistics and narration. Five major LULC classes were identified. A major increase was observed in settlement and agricultural land by displacing forest and bush lands. However, the water body was fluctuated. According to the local community, the agricultural land expansion and growing population pressure are the major proximate and underlying deriving forces, respectively. Therefore, proper design for efficient use is necessary.
Subject
General Environmental Science,General Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology,General Medicine
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