Remote Sensing and Geographic Information Techniques: Veritable Tools for Land Degradation Assessment

Land degradation can be defined as land which due to natural processes or human activity is no longer able to sustain properly its economic function and/or its original natural ecological function. The implications of the land use-land cover change often lead to land degradation. This study used Landsat TM image of 1986 and Nigeriasat-1 image of 2008 to assess the degraded lands for the respective years in a section of Niger Delta, Nigeria. The data sets were analysed using Arcview software in the Geographic Information System environment. The results show the different types of land degradation, the area coverage of the degraded lands for the years and how the people of the study area were affected. Based on the findings, recommendations are made to stem and eventually curtail the degradation.