TITLE:
Spatio-Temporal Dynamic of Land Use and Land Cover in the Classified Forest of Djoli-Kera, South-Eastern, Chad
AUTHORS:
Lucie Félicité Temgoua, Behimnan Allaissem, Martin Tchamba, Goy Saradoum, Mbaiakambeye Mbaidje Osée, Marie Caroline Momo Solefack
KEYWORDS:
Land-Use, Land-Cover, Satellite Images, Degradation, Chad
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Forestry,
Vol.8 No.3,
July
13,
2018
ABSTRACT: This study was carried out in the classified forest of Djoli-Kera found in the South-Eastern part of Chad. It aimed to analyze the spatial and temporal dy-namics of land cover between 1972 and 2013 and to determine the drivers of vegetation degradation. The databases used were made up of 4 Landsat satellite images (1MSS of 1972, 5TM of 1984, 7ETM+ of 1990 and 2010) and a spot 6 image of 2013, supplemented by field studies. Satellite images were processed using ENVI and ArcGIS software. Interview was used to identify the activities carried out by the local population. In 1972, the classified forest consisted of four types of land cover, the most important of which was open forest (51%), followed by wooded savannah (26%), tree savannah (21%) and sparse vegetation consisting of farms and fallows (2%). Gradually open forest and tree savannah disappeared. In 2013, the main types of land cover were shrub savannah (40%), sparse vegetation (28%), wooded savannah (12%), bare soil (12%) and dwellings (8%). Livestock, agriculture, wood collection and bushfires are perceived by local population as main drivers of forest cover change. Awareness-raising, monitoring and regulation of access to resources must be pursued, but also managers of the classified forest must accompany the local populations in the planting of trees and the setting up of more efficient farming systems to reduce pressure on the forest’s resources.