Modeling land cover dynamics to assess the sustainability of wetland services: a case study of the Grand Lake Meadows, Canada

Abstract

The Grand Lake Meadows is an important part of the Saint John River wetlands that form the largest freshwater wetland habitat in the Maritimes (eastern Canada). Changes in the land cover and use around wetlands significantly impact their biotic diversity, alter the ecosystem, and affect their ability to support human needs. The goal for this paper was to undertake a detailed and spatially explicit inventory of local trends in land use and land cover changes in Grand Lake Meadows over a 20-year time period. This goal was achieved through classifying historical remotely-sensed images to map the state of land use and cover. Other available data were combined with this information to create a database that was used to investigate the causes and consequences of changes. The results demonstrated the flexibility and the effectiveness of this technology in establishing the necessary baseline and support information for sustaining the eco-services of a wetland. The study identified a 38% decrease in the wetland from 1990 to 2001, while there was 80% increase in the wetland area since then. The result will help managers to comprehend the dynamics of the changes, prompting a better management and implementation of LULC administration in the area.