Geospatial Based Suitability Analysis of Urban Green Area Development in Tepi Town South West, Ethiopia Using GIs and RS Techniques

Abstract

The main target of this research was to identify suitable locations for events related to urban green area developments in Tepi town, South, Ethiopia using GIs and RS techniques between 2003 and 2023. In order to achieve these, satellite data of Landsat7 for 2003, landsat8 for 2013and landsat9 for 2023 have been obtained and preprocessed using ERDAS Imagine. The Maximum Likelihood Algorithm of Supervised Classification has been used to generate LULC maps. Post classification comparison change detection was employed to determine the gains and losses in LULC between two classified maps. Additionally, socio-economic data assessment was performed by using selected individual’s interview and focused group discussion to identify the driving forces of LULC change in the study area. The study area covers a total area of 2223.23ha. Land suitability analysis has growing importance in identifying suitable land resource for some specific uses. There is a growing demand for land for residential use, commercial, infrastructures and industrial purposes. Improper urban development can bring adverse impact on urban agriculture, urban green area and environmental condition. Due to the dynamic urban growth trends, city administrators and planners are faced with difficulties in amenities like green area. The rate of LULC change with respect to urban green area for the period between 2003 and 2023 was assessed using GIs and RS techniques. The suitability analysis was done using GIS-based multi-criteria analysis steps. The result reveals that since 2003 the green areas, represented by plantations, grassland and cultivated from this plantations and grasslands have been mostly converted into other land uses classes at annual rates of 3.5%, 4.8%, respectively. This has resulted in the reductions of plantations and grassland by 50.7%, 61.7% of the study area total area coverage respectively. In contrary, built-up and cultivated land have been highly expanded with an annual rate of 3.0% and 7.9% and with a total area increase of 80.9% and 38.6% respectively. Based up on GIs based multi-criteria analysis, 1.2 % and 70.4 % of the study area was identified as highly suitable and moderately suitable for green area development respectively. Finally, the sites suitable for certain uses, such as green area development were identified and planned using land suitability studies.