CHANGE DETECTION ANALYSIS OF DEFORESTATION AND URBAN LAND USE : A CASE STUDY OF NORTHERN ADAMAWA
Abstract
ABSTRACT
This study investigates the spatial and temporal dynamics of deforestation and urban land use change in Northern Adamawa between 1990 and 2025, utilizing Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and remote sensing techniques. Landsat satellite imagery (TM and OLI_TIRS) from 1990, 2010, and projected data for 2025 were processed using supervised classification in ArcGIS 10.8 to delineate major land use/land cover (LULC) categories: vegetation, farmland, water bodies, built-up areas, and mountainous terrain. The analysis reveals significant land cover transformations over the 35-year period, characterized by a sharp decline in vegetation and a substantial increase in built-up areas. Change detection highlights a net loss of 2,398,628 km² in vegetation and a gain of 1,474,568 km² in urban land, driven primarily by population growth, agricultural expansion, and anthropogenic pressures. These trends underscore escalating environmental vulnerability, including soil degradation, biodiversity loss, and ecological instability. The study concludes with a call for sustainable land management strategies and affirms the utility of GIS and remote sensing as essential tools for monitoring land cover change and informing policy decisions aimed at balancing development with environmental sustainability.
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