Land Use and Land Cover Change Analysis along the Coastal Regions of Cape Coast and Sekondi

Abstract

The study sought to investigate and analyse land use and land cover change for the Cape Coast and Sekondi coastal regions in Ghana between 2005 and 2013. The methodology adopted for the study involved data acquisition and preprocessing, extraction and validation of land use/cover information. It also involved assessment and examination of the patterns of land use/cover changes in the two study areas. Aerial photographs and topographic maps were obtained from the Survey Department of Ghana. The delineation of the different categories of land cover and land use in the study area was done manually through on-screen digitization in ESRI ArcGIS 10.1. The major land use/cover types identified in the study sites were built up area, vegetation and farms. It was found that since the two study sites are both fast growing urban communities, most of the land was used for human habitation, hence, large parts were covered by built-up area. It was recommended that, relevant agencies such as the metropolitan, municipal and district development planning committees, including town and country planning department should monitor, regulate and plan the pattern of development in both communities. This recommendation will help the city authorities to keep abreast of changes that will occur in the cover and use of land and also factor such changes in the planning of such communities.