LAND USE/LAND COVER CHANGE DETECTION: A CASE STUDYOF BOBI GRAZING RESERVE, MASHEGU LGA, NIGER STATE.

Abstract

Bobi Grazing Reserve, Nigel' State has witnessed changes in its land use pattem since the establishment in 1985 due largely to increase in fal'ming activities, increase in human settlements al'ound the resel've resulting in an inCl'ease in human population, increase in animal population because of changes in climate, which has accelerated the spread of desel't from the nOl'them part of the counta'y, Landsat MSS of 1970, Landsat TM of 1987 and SPOT (XS) of1993 were used as the major sources of data. Topogl'aphic map of 1964, livestock census of 1989/1998 and 1'3 in fall data of 199112000 for Minna synoptic station were used as secondal'y sOUl'ces of data, During gl'Ound trothing, GPS coordinates of points of interest were obtained, The reseal'ch work was based on computel' intel'pl'etation of the imagel'ies using ERDAS, ARCIINFO and ARCNIEW softwal'e, Results from the study has I'evealed that all other human activities have continued to increase within the l'esel'Ve thereby reducing drastically, the area eal'marked for grazing purposes. By implication, the conflicts between the pastol'alists and fal'mel's al'e bound to incl'ease. It was recommended that for accurate and timely information in a cost effective manner in monitol'ing and planning, higher resolution imagel'ies should be acquired. IKONOS, in particulal', is vel')' suitable fOl' multi temporal study of the area using powerful computel's for monitoring the envia'onment.