Assessing the Status of Yandev Forest Reserve Using Remote Sensing and Geographic Information System (GIS) Techniques

Abstract

The study was conducted to assess and predict Land use and Land cover changes of Yandev Forest reserve in Gboko, Benue state Nigeria. The study utilised Landsat images for 1986, 2001 and Nigeriansat-X was used for 2012, The images were obtained from the National Centre for Remote Sensing Jos. A supervised classification was used after the images were subjected to different e processing techniques. The land use and land cover was classified into five (5) classes of Built up, Bareland, Cultivated area, Forest and Shrubland. The trend of land use/land cover in the reserve revealed that Bareland increased from 0.60% in 1986 to 0.67% in 2012, built up area increased from 0.73% in 1986 to 1.78% in 2012, Shrubland, increased from 7.63% in 1986 to 12.51% in 2012. Forest area decreased from 66.6% in 1986 to 40.32% in 2012. Cultivated area increased from 24.44% to 44.72% in 2012. Forest area lost 5003.02ha within the 26 years period to other form of land use. All the other land use/landcover classes increased during the period with cultivation area having the highest increase of 3858.99ha and bare land with the least area of change of 13.32ha. The study established that tremendous land use/landcover changes are going on in the Yandev forest reserve which could be linked to rapid urbanization of Gboko town. Enrichment planting of reserve, massive awareness against deforestation and sustainable use of the reserve is recommended.