Spatial driving forces of dominant land use/land cover transformations in Bako Tibe District, West Shewa, Ethiopia

ABSTRACT

This study was designed to examine the trends of LULC transformation and driving forces over the last 35 years (1986 – 2020) in Bako Tibe District, Ethiopia. Results showed that cultivation and shrubland were dominant covering more than two-thirds of the total area. Trend analysis showed that cultivated land (33.26%) and built-up area (2.71%) increased over the years. In contrast, wetland, shrub and grassland had declined by 13.04%, 13.7% and 7.35%, respectively. The majority (96%) of respondents perceived expansion of cultivated land (81.1%) and wood extraction (73.6%) as principal proximate drivers while population growth (92.6) as the underlying factor.

KEYWORDS:

• Landsat image
• land use land cover
• local level
• drivers
• binary logit model

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank all the Tibe woreda experts and data collectors for their support during data collection. We would like also to extend our gratitude to the Tibe woreda administration for the smooth management process and for providing secondary documents.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Author contributions

Conceptualization, B. K., M. B.. and F.Y.; Formal analysis, B. K., M. B. and F.Y.; Methodology, B. K, M. B. and F.Y.; Software, B. K, and M. B. Writing-original draft, B. K, M. B. and F.Y.; Writing-review & editing, B. K, and M. B

Notes

1. Kebele is the smallest administration unit of Ethiopia administration structure.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Beka Keno

Beka Keno is a Senior Instructor in the Department of Natural Resources Conservation and Development, Bako Agricultural Poly Technic College, Ethiopia. Beka hold a Bachelor of Science in Farm Forestry and MSc in Climate Change and Development from Hawassa University, Wondo Genet College of Forestry and Natural Resources, Ethiopia. His area of teaching and research mainly focuses on Forest Conservation and Development Techniques, Participatory Land Use Planning and Smallholder Farmers Perception on Climate Change and its Causes.

Mikias Biazen Molla

Mikias Biazen Molla (Ph.D) is an assistant Professor in the Department of Geographic Information Science, Wondo Genet College of Forestry and Natural Resources (WGCF-NR), Hawassa University-Ethiopia. He has got a BSc Degree in Natural Resource Management at Jimma University and a Master’s degree in Geo-Information (GIS & RS) from Bahir Dar University, Ethiopia. He has also got his Ph.D. degree in Environmental Informatics from University of Ibadan, Nigeria and has over 15 years’ experience in research, teaching, and mentorship in WGCF-NR. His area of professional expertise primarily includes Geographic Information Science and Spatial Analytical Methods, Remote Sensing data analysis, environmental studies, urban green infrastructure and landscape development and management. He has over 15 scientific publications in reputable journals.

Fantaw Yimer

Fantaw Yimer (Ph.D) is a Professor in the Department of Soil Resources and Watershed Management, Wondo Genet College of Forestry and Natural Resources (WGCF-NR), Hawassa University-Ethiopia. Holds a 4 years degree in Geography and a Master’s degree in Geography (with focus area on Physical Geography) from Addis Ababa University. He has got his Ph.D. degree in Soil Science from the Swedish Agricultural Sciences (SLU) and has over 30 years’ experience in research, teaching, mentorship and scientific leadership in WGCF-NR. He has been involved in capacity building development and collaborative projects. He has over 35 scientific publications on reputable journals.