FOREST CHANGE DETECTION IN BORICHA DISTRICT, SIDAMA REGIONAL STATE, ETHIOPIA

ABSTRACT Forest change detection analysis is the major important information required for planning and decision making. However, up to date information on Underlying Causes of Forest cover change in Boricha district was found to be lacking. Therefore, this study was conducted to identify types as well as extent of change detection within three and half decades and its causes in the district. Information was extracted from three period Landsat imagery (Landsat 5 TM, Landsat 7 ETM, and Landsat OLI_TIRS image) for Change detection analysis. Socio-economic data were collected through household survey, key informant interviews, Observation and group discussions. Analysis of data was accomplished through the use of ERDAS IMAGINE 15, ArcGIS 10.3, and SPSS 20 along with Microsoft Excel software. For the three periods Landsat images, Five LULC classes namely grass land, Forest, Bare land, agricultural land, and Built-up/settlement were identified for LULCC analysis. The results from Forest change detection analysis showed a significant transformation of LULC classes for the respective years. In 1984 most of the study area (30.1%) was covered by bare land. Grass land, Agriculture and forest land was accounted to 29.7%, 23.5% and 16.5% respectively. However, forest land decreased overtime by 42.2% between the years 1984 and 2000. An increasing demand for Agriculture land, Built-up and fuel wood was the cause for change of bare land and forest land. Agriculture land, Built-up and the Grass land increased to 39.5%, 211%and 4.9% respectively between the years 1984 and 2000 from the previous years. However, the proportions of bare land and forest land decreased by 13.5% and 42.2% respectively. During the period of 1984 to 2019, Forest land decreased by 73.6% from the previous years. In the three and half decades, Forest land was reduced by 7163.44ha to other cover types. The findings of this study showed that the decrease in Forest cover has been brought through a significant expansion of agricultural land and Built-up with decreasing trends of grass land, bare land. Population Growth, Agriculture Land Expansion, Resettlement, Fire wood and Charcoal Production, Poor Governance, Policy and land tenure system within the district, Cutting Trees for Constructional Materials, Income Generation were identified as a Causes of those Forest cover change in the district. Thus, the study concluded the interaction of proximate and underlying causes forced the district to lose Forest cover.