Urban sprawl into the Niagara Region: the effect of urban encroachment on agriculture seen through the use of remote sensing applications and landscape metrics

Jessica Leigh-Anne Carvalho

doi:10.32920/ryerson.14664636.v1

Abstract

The Niagara Region contains land that is ideal for agricultural practices. This thesis strives to illuminate whether or not urban growth in the Niagara Region is a detriment to agricultural land use. Using Landsat 5 TM and 8 OLI-TIRS satellite imagery, spatial statistics, called landscape metrics, will be utilized to determine growth and loss of urban and agriculture land uses. Satellite imagery will be classified based on researched methods in order to create land class maps. These maps will then be utilized for landscape metrics using the Patch Analyst extension for ArcMap. Change detection methods will also be observed. The above methods will be done for the overall landscape of the Niagara Region. This study will find that agriculture in the Niagara Region is changing and endeavors to highlight how urban sprawl is part of the cause. Fragmentation will be discussed as part of the issues due to urban sprawl.

Highlights

The Niagara Region is an area made up of pristine ecosystems and prime farmland
Urban sprawl is when larger cities continue to grow. It is defined as low-density expansion of larger urban areas that manifest in a physical pattern due to certain market conditions
To observe whether or not urban sprawl is having any effect on the Niagara Region, landscape metrics will be utilized

Summary

Introduction

The Niagara Region is an area made up of pristine ecosystems and prime farmland. Even though the land is so valuable, development projects are prominent. Urban sprawl is when larger cities continue to grow. It is defined as low-density expansion of larger urban areas that manifest in a physical pattern due to certain market conditions. This expansion is often found to overtake some agricultural spaces. Once the population can no longer be contained within the city limits, housing on the outskirts of the city centre must be created This development expands the city limits and the pattern continues outward if there is no policy and management in place. To observe whether or not urban sprawl is having any effect on the Niagara Region, landscape metrics will be utilized.

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