The Use of Satellite Image and GIS to Monitor Deforestation of Akure Forest Reserve and Its Environs, Ondo State, Nigeria

Abstract

Deforestation presents multiple environmental problems in our society today. The present and long-term effects of human activities contribute to deforestation, which is almost certain to jeopardize our lives on earth. Research was conducted using remote sensing, GIS, and a questionnaire to collect the required data for the purpose of fulfilling the objectives of this study. The study made use of satellite imageries of Landsat (MSS) images of 1972–1986 (TM) and Landsat Enhanced Thematic Mappings (ETM+) of 2002–2015. We used a supervised maximum likelihood classification method based on ILWIS 3.2 and ArcGIS 10.3a software to classify the forest reserve into water bodies, bare soil, built-up areas, cultivated land and tempered vegetation, semi-natural vegetation, and forest. The questionnaire was used to elicit information on the socio-economic factors responsible for the depletion of the forest reserve. The result of the study revealed the decrease of forest reserves due to the increase in cultivation, built-up areas, and overgrazing. The findings also showed that the built-up areas have been growing rapidly over the 1972–2015 period, while the cultivated land, tempered vegetation, and bare soil have continued to increase during the same periods. Based on GIS analysis, future predictions/trends of Akure forest reserve and its environs were modeled between 2015 and 2030 using the Markov cellular automata operation. To reduce the rate of forest depletion, recommended policy measures include laws and regulations that will encourage local people and institutions to participate in forestry management and conservation.