Modelling the impacts of civil war on land use and land cover change within Kono District, Sierra Leone: a socio-geospatial approach

Abstract

Capturing the scope and trajectory of changes in land use and land cover (LULC) is critical to urban and regional planning, natural resource sustainability and the overall information needs of policy makers. Studies on LULC change are generally conducted within peaceful environments and seldom incorporate areas that are politically volatile. Consequently, the role of civil conflict on LULC change remains elusive. Using a dense time stack of Landsat Thematic Mapper images and a hybrid classification approach, this study analysed LULC changes in Kono District between 1986–1991, 1991–2002 and 2002–2007 with the overarching goal of elucidating deviations from typical changes in LULC caused by Sierra Leone's civil war (1991–2002). Informed by social survey and secondary data, this study engaged the drivers that facilitated LULC changes during war and non-war periods in a series of spatial regression models in exploring the interface between civil conflict and LULC change.

Keywords:

• land use/land cover change
• civil war
• spatial modelling
• remote sensing
• Kono District
• Sierra Leone

Notes

1. The six chiefdoms were Sandor, Nimiyama, Nimikoro, Tankoro, Gbane and Soa.

2. In the absence of the household head, an adult household member was interviewed.

3. Nimikoro, Nimiyama, Tankoro and Sandor were the four diamondiferous chiefdoms randomly selected for this research.

4. Interviews held in Kono District in 2008.

5. According to the Sierra Leone Encyclopedia 2008, 83.5% of the district's population used firewood.

6. Interviews with local farmers in the farming chiefdoms of eastern Kono District.

7. A number of local residents maintained that most towns and villages were burnt down during the decade-long pernicious episode.

8. Interviews with local residents of the diamondiferous and agricultural chiefdoms of Kono District.

9. Interviews with local residents of Kono District.

10. Views of some local residents interviewed.

11. This NGO is funded by a consortium of organizations in the US and other part of the world that include the diamond jewellery company Tiffany and USAID.

12. Interview with the field supervisor of FESS July 2008.