GIS based land use change detection of Bandarawela D.S division

Abstract

Housing, cultivation, food production and resources depend on the quantity and quality of land that a community possesses. Civilization and culture are also intimately connected with land use pattern, ecology and nature. The scope of this study is to identify dramatically changed land use of study area. The study used both primary and secondary data. Data on land use and land cover changes that occurred from 1982 to 2015 in Bandarawela was analyzed by Geographic Information System (GIS) and Quantum Geographic Information System (QGIS). Conversion of land for individual income generation activities and urbanization have caused much of the land use changes in this area while population growth and policy development of government in relation to the economic development, particularly land and agricultural development policies have also contributed to their. Modernization under industrialization and commercialization is a new development that has considerable impact on land use changes in the area. If current trends are allowed to continue, natural covers will be endangered. In addition to this, overall natural vegetation health will be under question. Therefore, selecting appropriate land use systems that are suitable to the conditions of the study area will be important.