Sustainable land-use evaluation on steep landscapes and flood plains in the New Juaben district of Ghana: A GIS Approach

Abstract

Specific criteria are stipulated and recommendations made for the sustainable management of landscapes in Ghana. Yet, evaluation is scarcely conducted to determine whether real performance of land-use strategies are meeting expected standards of suitability. The paper reports on an evaluation study conducted on a landscape with various levels of slopes and flood plains. The study sought to demonstrate the application of information technology in achieving the objectives of sustainable land-use management. Landscape of the area was modeled in a Geographic Information System (GIS) environment. Slope was derived from digital elevation model (DEM) and spatially analyzed with land use-/cover information generated from satellite data. The performance of existing land-use was compared with expected land use performance criteria for steep landscapes and flood plains. Steep slopes and areas within 100m of the Densu River have been denuded of forest vegetation. Rather than making only a marginal use of geo-information technology in generating data, we must leverage its inherent analytical potentials that enable innovative, creative and enhanced management decisions for sustainable land resource use. Continually monitoring and evaluating the performance of land-resource utilization will provide feedback information necessary for directing resource use on sustainable trajectories.