A Comprehensive Evaluation of Urbanization Impact on Land Cover in Benin City

Abstract

This study examines the impact of urbanization on land cover in Benin City, Nigeria, using satellite imagery and GIS analysis. The research aims to identify changes in land use and vegetation cover that could potentially threaten valuable ecosystems and biodiversity, and to suggest conservation and management strategies for the region. The study utilized cloudless satellite images from different periods (1990, 1999, 2009, and 2019), and classified them into water bodies, built-up areas, and vegetation using the supervised classification method in Quantum Geographic Information System (QGIS). The results showed that vegetation cover (in m2) significantly reduced over the three decades, from 819.91m² in 1990 to 213.73m² in 2019, indicating a 73.93% reduction while built-up areas significantly increased from 93.75m² in 1990 to 700.01m² in 2019, representing a 646.6% increase. These results revealed the negative effect of urbanization on Benin City and its environment, as bare lands and vegetative cover are removed for infrastructural development. The study recommends promoting sustainable development practices to mitigate the negative effects of urbanization which includes adopting green infrastructure and monitoring land use and land cover change to make informed decisions on future urban planning. Also, the results from this study provide insights into the impact of urbanization on land cover in Benin City, which is essential in the development of effective conservation and management strategies for the region.