Abstract
The Cameron Highlands has experienced multiple land encroachment activities and repeated deforestation, leading to extensive land-use and land-cover change (LULCC) during the past six decades. This study aims to determine the LULCC against topography in Cameron Highlands between 2009 and 2019 by using geospatial techniques to analyze Landsat 7 (ETM+) and 8 (OLI/TIRS), ASTER GDEM and MODIS imaging sensors. The results showed a decline of 35.98 km2 in primary forests over ten years across the Cameron Highlands, while agricultural lands and urban areas flourished by a rise of 51.61 km2 and 11.00 km2 respectively. It can be noted that the elevation most affected is between 1000 and 1500 m, across all classes. Further results showed the expansion of both agriculture and urban development onto slopes above 35°, leading to an instability of soil structure. In a comparison of the base years of 2009 with 2019, mean LST results have shown temperatures rising by 7.5°C, while an average between 3 and 4°C across the region is recorded. The results obtained provide new information for government bodies and land planners to coordinate their actions without further jeopardizing the environment of the Cameron Highlands.
Highlights
The examination of land-use and land-cover change (LULCC) is a study of environmental change that is closely related to socioeconomic development
In Cameron Highlands, this study found that the main contributors to land use change are driven by a rise in agricultural plantations and the agricultural activity of vegetable farming
In the higher elevation region of the Cameron Highlands (1500–2000 m) in 2019, we found that the area of urban areas was greater than the area of primary forests
Summary
The examination of land-use and land-cover change (LULCC) is a study of environmental change that is closely related to socioeconomic development. This change is mainly caused by the desire, rather than the need, to further expand land use, whether it be to satisfy agricultural or urban growth [1, 2]. Any change in land use in the upper elevations will severely impact the overall climate of the region; This is because mountainous regions have a climate system. A guideline for land development according to slope degree was introduced by the authorities, it outlines the specific slope bracket in which certain types of land uses and construction are able to take place there [25]. Contractors often defy the relevant regulations of that guideline and continue with their construction plans [25]
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