Abstract
We used spatial analysis to assess the Land Use Land Cover (LULC) changes, and studied the impacts of LC changes on conservation of buffer zone of the Selous Game Reserve (SGR) and their implication on community’s livelihood in Vikumbulu Ward of Kisarawe District, Tanzania. Socio-economic data from Kisarawe District and TNBS were linked to spatial data to offer an integrated perspetive of LULC change in the Ward. Three cloud free image dates of 1998, 2011 and 2015 were analysed using System for Automated Geoscientific Analyses (SAGA) GIS for three categories of land cover, i.e. forest, wooded grassland and bare land/settlements/cultivation. Vikumbulu demographic and socio-economic data were linked to spatial data applying distance as a function of LULC change. Spatial analysis has shown a decreasing trend of forest and woodland cover in Vikumbulu Ward between 1998 and 2015. The sharp decline indicates increasing social economic activities such as shifting agriculture and charcoal burning as an outcome of population growth and poverty. Rapid conversion of forest cover to wooded grassland occurred between 1998 and 2015 in Vikumbulu Ward. However, loss of forest cover was associated with a decreasing trend in wooded land in the ward between 2011 and 2015. As there was only 0.15% area under crop cultivation in Vikumbulu until 2015, it is highly likely that LC change is caused by charcoal burning and shifting cultivation. This study suggests developing integrated strategies that target LULC change, conservation and people’s livelihoods to effectively improve the current situation in rural areas of Tanzania.
Highlights
Impact of Land Use and Land Cover (LULC) changes is of great concern for community livelihood and conservation globally
Population growth coupled with high demand for food, charcoal, timber and poles in urban areas are the key drivers contributing to natural resources degradation in rural areas (Kangalawe & Lyimo, 2010; MacKenzie & Hartter, 2013)
This study presents a spatial analysis of land cover change over time (1998 to 2015) of a rural area in Tanzania, abutting an internationally famous Selous Game Reserve (SGR)
Summary
Impact of Land Use and Land Cover (LULC) changes is of great concern for community livelihood and conservation globally. About 40% of a global land once covered by natural vegetation has been transformed into agricultural cropland (Meiyappan & Jain, 2012). The rising demand for materials to support human living has facilitated competing land use and land cover changes (Hartemink et al 2008; Meiyappan, 2017). The drivers of land cover change vary across the local, regional and global scales (Lambin et al, 2001; Long et al, 2007), but they impact across all the three scales (Foley et al, 2005; Cotillon, 2013). Population growth coupled with high demand for food, charcoal, timber and poles in urban areas are the key drivers contributing to natural resources degradation in rural areas (Kangalawe & Lyimo, 2010; MacKenzie & Hartter, 2013)
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