Urban Growth Assessment And Its Impact On Deforestation In Kwali Area Council, Abuja Nigeria Using Geospatial Technology

Abstract

The level of Urbanization in Kwali Area Council in last thirty (31) years has resulted to the degradation of vegetal cover. This study assessed the impact of urban growth on vegetation cover between 1987 and 2018 using geospatial technology. The images of different epochs (1987, 2001 and 2018) were classified into built-up area, farmland, grassland, forestland and bare land. This was carried out using ARC GIS 10.1 and Idrisi Selva software’s. The result indicates that built-up area and bare land increased between 1987 and 2018 while vegetation cover decreased. This shows a rapid increase in built-up area (urban growth) and rapid decrease in forest (deforestation), which may be attributed to lack of improper environmental protection strategy . The study demonstrates the potentialities of remote sensing and GIS in assessing urban growth and its impacts on deforestation. The outcome of the study can serve as input into a relationship model for predicting the impact of urban growth on deforestation. The study further recommend the urgent need to carry out the Master Plan Review to secure the vegetative land cover, particularly the forest lands which have been greatly encroached by urbanization. The government should encourage environmental sustainable programmes that will foster forest development, urban agriculture and other urban expansion processes in Kwali Area Council