Geospatial Analysis of Land Use/Land Cover Changes in the Northern Province, Sri Lanka

Abstract

Knowledge of the geographical distribution of land use/ cover and the trends and patterns of their change is required for spatial planning and management of a country's land resources. Satellite remote sensing and Geographic Information Systems are becoming more significant in the study of changes in land use/ cover. The objectives of this study are to identify the spatial and temporal change in land use/cover and to understand the dynamics of trends and patterns of land use/ cover in the Northern Province of Sri Lanka between 1990 and 2020 using satellite remote sensing and spatial analysis techniques. Maximum likelihood supervised image classification is used to create the signature class of significant land use/ cover category. After ensuring a satisfactory accuracy value for each classified image, a detailed post-classification change detection analysis was executed. The dynamic degree of land use/ cover change and vulnerability of land use/ cover change were also analyzed to evaluate changes quantitatively. There were major changes in land use/ cover, particularly after ending the civil war, due to increasing resettlements, development initiations, and agricultural expansion in the Northern Province. Indiscriminate deforestation has had a significant impact on the habitat of wildlife, and due to that, the frequency of human-wildlife conflict has increased. Therefore, accurate land cover change detection helps to monitor deforestation, urbanization, and agricultural expansion, allowing us to take timely actions for conservation practices and decision-making for sustainable development in the Northern Province.