Remote Sensing and GIS Applications in Urban Expansion and Loss of vegetation Cover in Kaduna Town, Northern Nigeria

Résumé fourni par la source

Anthropogenic drivers such as the urbanization and economic dependence have being a major force shaping various landscapes. Kaduna town is no exception of such landscapes. This study uses remote sensing and GIS techniques with survey to identify the various land uses, their various transformations over the a period of 11 years (1990-2000)and to measure the rate of urban expansion and loss of vegetation cover in the study area. The study revealed that built-up area is expanding at about 167.86 hectares annually vegetation covers declining at a faster rate of 297.5 hectares annually. It also revealed that bare land a component of urban expansion also increased 183.5%. The implication of this unprecedented growth is the resulting environmental and ecological problems associated with unplanned urban growth and development such as flooding, urban heat island etc. However, Greening and due adherence to development control were suggested as amelioration to impending environmental crisis.