APPLICATION OF REMOTE SENSING TO THE ASSESSMENT OF DEF()RESTATION IN THE MAIDUGURI AREA

Abstract

The environment is a system (1 I d a resource. Deforestation, resulting from the effect of human-induced activ I .• es on the natural resource has now become a Global problem, with the ev,: '-increasing pressure 011 Land occasioned by population growth . . The main aim of this study is to Jetennine the extent deforestation in Maiduguri. It is in !his way, argued that detection and analysis of Land cover changes is a necessaty requirement for eva'uating both influence and effect of changes in Land cover in a fragile vegetal;, In area of Maiduguri and its environs. To effectively relate satellite onservation to land cover changes, a quantitative link necessarily must be estab ished. To get factual information for the study, statistical data were obtained bftsed on the satellite dala (1976-1993), analysis of deforestation in Maiduguri, has ' eell carried out. Statistical presentation in tau".ar fonnat shows changes in different cluster. Therefore, there is need for Liwd cover data collection process to be technical, so that satellite-aided Land co"/er change atlalyses conducted in different areas can elTectively be related. The nly way to do this is [or evelY study to employ different approach of ground {t· ta collection processes into baseline process. The result obtained revealed Llat between 1976 to 1993, the various land cover types have undergone the fol~,: wing changes in their spatial extent; build- up area (1. 3 %) , forest area ( 1 5% ) and agricultural area( 4.3%). Possible underlying reasons for the ob:.;rved changes, and their implication have been discussed.