This study is on the application of Remote Sensing (RS) and Geographic Information System (GIS) Techniques to the examination of the nature of landuse changes in the northern district of Kaduna metropolis from 1965 to 2003. Population influx to towns and cities often resulte in urban expansion and sprawling, pushing the urban environment influences into the adjacent rural lands with attendant changes in landuse types, intensity and landscape quality. That is how Kaduna metropolis, a former political regional headquarters for more than half a century, grew. Field observations show that its expansion has had great impact on the surrounding rural lands. Scanty records both in maps and written documents were available to show the nature of the changes that had taken place. Thus, reconstruction of changes in landuse becomes difficult with probable large errors and speculations. Yet, there is a dire need for an understanding of the dynamics of landuses on the urban periphery for effective planning, management and provision of utilities. Nowadays, earth-mapping technology offers good opportunities for investigating landuse changes that have taken place in the past. Hence, this study investigates the landuse changes in the northern part of Kaduna metropolis using Remote Sensing and Geographic Information System Techniques.
Therefore, attempt will be made in this study to map out the status of land use land cover of Kaduna metropolis between 1972 and 2001 with a view to detecting the land consumption rate and the changes that has taken place in this status particularly in the built-up land so as to predict possible changes that might take place in this status in the next 14 years using both Geographic Information System and Remote Sensing data.
1.2 Statement of the Problem
Kaduna metropolis, a big city has witnessed remarkable expansion, growth and developmental activities such as building, road construction, deforestation and many other anthropogenic activities since its inception in 1967 just like many other state capitals in Nigeria. This has therefore resulted in increased land consumption and a modification and alterations in the status of her land use land cover over time without any detailed and comprehensive attempt (as provided by a Remote Sensing data and GIS) to evaluate this status as it changes over time with a view to detecting the land consumption rate and also make attempt to predict same and the possible changes that may occur in this status so that planners can have a basic tool for planning. It is therefore necessary for a study such as this to be carried out if Kaduna metropolis will avoid the associated problems of a growing and expanding city like many others in the world.
1.3 Justification for the Study
Indeed, attempt has been made to document the growth of Kaduna metropolis in the past but that from an aerial photography (Olorunfemi, 1983). In recent times, the dynamics of Land
use Land cover and particularly settlement expansion in the area requires a more powerful and sophisticated system such as GIS and Remote Sensing data which provides a general extensive synoptic coverage of large areas than area photography
1.4 Aim and Objectives 1.4.1 Aim
The aim of this study is to produce a land use land cover map of Kaduna metropolis at different epochs in order to detect the changes that have taken place particularly in the built-up land and subsequently predict likely changes that might take place in the same over a given period.
Objectives
The following specific objectives will be pursued in order to achieve the aim
above.
-To create a land use land cover classification scheme
-To determine the trend, nature, rate, location and magnitude of land use land cover change.
-To forecast the future pattern of land use land cover in the area.
-To generate data on land consumption rate and land absorption coefficient since more emphasis is placed on built-up land.
-To evaluate the socio – economic implications of predicted change.
1.5 Definition of Terms
(i) Remote sensing:
Can be defined as any process whereby information is gathered about an object, area or phenomenon without being in contact with it. Given this rather general definition, the term has come to be associated more specifically with the gauging of interactions between earth surface materials and electromagnetic energy. (Idrisi 32 guide to GIS and Image processing, volume 1).
(ii) Geographic Information system:
A computer assisted system for the acquisition, storage, analysis and display of geographic data (Idrisi 32 guide to GIS and Image processing, volume 1).
(iii) Land use:
This is the manner in which human beings employ the land and its resources.
(iv) Land cover:
Implies the physical or natural state of the Eath’s surface.
