Assessment of Land use and Land Cover Change in Kwale, Ndokwa-East Local Government Area, Delta State, Nigeria
The study examines land use and land cover change in Kwale Ndokwa-East Local Government area Delta State, Nigeria between 1975 and 2008 using GIS and remote sensing technique. The satellite data that were employed included LandSat (MSS) 1975, LandSat (TM) 1987, LandSat (ETM+) 2001, downloaded from Global Landcover Resources Website (http:www.glcf.com), while images from NigSat1 2008 were obtained from the National Centre for Remote Sensing, Jos, Plateau state, Nigeria. The software used for the processing and analysis for this study includes ARCGIS 9, ERDAS 8.1 and ILWIS 3.2a. Results of the study revealed that on the average, between 1975 and 2008, bare surfaces decreased to by 93.51%: forest vegetation by 30.98%: settlement by 25.61% and woodlands by 37.19. Marshlands, cultivated lands;, shrublands and water bodies increased respectively by 54.45%, 24.42%;, 3.21% and 319.91%. This showed that bare surfaces, forest vegetation, settlements and woodlands were gradually being replaced by marshlands, cultivated lands, shrublands as well as water bodies. Settlements were found to be aggregating within specific geographic regions, over time. It is therefore recommended that concerted efforts be made to reclaim the areas occupied by bare surface and marshlands into arable agricultural lands. And finally, further efforts should be devoted towards reducing gas flaring, increasing afforestation strategies while discouraging lumbering, oil spillage as well as gas flaring within the region.
