Abstract:
Deforestation is one of the major changes in terrestrial landscapes that affect the
environment. Deforestation is caused by anthropogenic activities and a myriad of
natural factors which cause a global loss of natural biodiversity and alteration of
ecological processes and services across different ecosystems. The analysis of
the spatial-temporal changes in land use and land cover was done in Kahe Forest.
Moderate resolution land satellite images were downloaded from the United States
Geological Survey (USGS) archives and analysed using the random forest (RF)
algorithm and mapped inArcGIS10 software to ascertain thechanges that took place
in land use and land cover in Kahe Forest from 1998 to 2018. A questionnaire and
key informant interviews were used to collect data. Findings show that agricultural
land and grassland increased by 7 and 14 per cent while the forest area decreased
from 85 to 51 per cent in the same period due to the escalation of human activities.
The changes are caused by rapid population growth, wild fires, climate change and
variability as well as human activities. It is recommended that the adoption of
sustainable forest-management strategies such as the enforcement of the existing
conservation laws and regulations and alternative environment-friendly sources of
livelihood mainly community-based forest management should be enhanced by all
stakeholders including the government and the community
