PROJECT #2000-13
Land Use and Land Cover Change for South East Asia
| Project Leader |
Sharifah Mastura Syed ABDULLAH
Department of Geography
Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia
43600 UKM, Bangi, Selangor
MALAYSIA
Tel: +60-03-8929-3679
Fax: +60-03-8929-3334
Email: Sharifah@eoc.ukm.my
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| Funding |
Year 1 (2000/01) US $67,200
Year 2 (2001/02) US $31,500
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| Participating countries |
Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam
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Introduction/Background
SARCS Land Use and Land Cover Changes (LUCC) Project was initiated
in 1994 to cover four countries, i.e. Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand
and Indonesia. This research project focused on applying remote sensing
and GIS technologies and socioeconomic data to explain land use and land
cover changes. The first phase of this project under GEF funding was a
success and with it the SARCS-LUCC interdisciplinary team was established
and the regional research network formed.
Phase 2 of the project, which was sponsored by NASA and SARCS, proceeded
with annual date analysis and application of socio-economic modelling.
The activities under phase 2 include:
- Developing case studies to determine deforestation dynamics;
- Determining whether annual rates of deforestation are significantly
different from the decadal mean rate over the selected study areas; and
- Developing diagnostic models of the deforestation process to better
understand and quantify the differential controls on rates of deforestation
and abandonment.
Phase 1 and 2 emphasized only four case studies. There is now a need
to expand the LUCC research network to cover the whole region. The new
countries proposed to join the present network are Vietnam, Cambodia and
Laos. They require assistance in acquiring the capacity to conduct research
in global change. The present team members will assist in training the
new participants with relevant LUCC methodologies and bring them to the
current level of capabilities. Thus APN funding is required to implement
the aforementioned expansion of the network. The fund is also needed to
support advance training on global change research in all seven countries.
Outline of activities conducted
The activities conducted under the sponsorship of APN are as follows:
1) Capacity building to new member countries (Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam).
Funding was provided to equip these countries with hardware (PC, Printer,
CD Writer) and software (Erdas Imagine, Arc View, Spatial Analysis). The
provision of equipment to new members is extremely critical to the success
of LUCC research. New members are now able to carry out the following:
- Processing of resource satellite data from Landsat TM and SPOT VGT
images. The results obtained are land use change detected from two selected
dates;
- Processing and converting maps to digital maps for interfacing with
remote sensing data;
- Processing socio-economic data as input to selected LUCC model;
- Producing relevant graphic analysis;
- Applying statistical analysis to LUCC data; and
- Producing hard and soft copy reports as output to LUCC research.
The newly trained scientists are now able to build up their research
capabilities enabling them to undertake new global change research in future.
Few proposals have been submitted to various sponsors to further strengthen
their regional research network.
2) With all the software/hardware equipment in place, the new members
underwent a basic training course in Remote Sensing, GIS and socio-economic
data analysis. The workshop was held in Kuala Lumpur and provided the following:
Training on land use change detection using remote sensing method and
acquiring database maps using GIS methods. The training models consisted
of: Introduction to resource satellite; Landsat and SPOT; Interactive Image
Processing; Information extraction and Land use change detection. The GIS
training emphasised spatial and 3D analysis; map layout and data integration.
Training on socio-economic aspects focused on acquiring data set and identification
of socio-economic parameters relevant to LUCC research. Socio-economic
modelling was taught with econometric modelling, logistic regression and
LIMDEP modeling. Socio-economic, remote sensing and GIS data integration
were also given.
The workshop recommended:
- Method of detecting LUCC;
- Method of integrating remote sensing and GIS data sets;
- Method of validating data;
- Relevant socio-economic parameters to be acquired;
- Relevant variables to be applied as input to the model; and
- Relevant statistical and graphic analysis.
All the above recommendations are useful to new members and can be adopted
into their own LUCC research.
3) Advance remote sensing training for all seven countries held in Manila
based on important aspects of the LUCC research. Which included:
- Fractional forest covers and green leaf area mapping using ETM+ and
SPOT 4 vegetation images.
SEA team members would be able to produce a new set of research products,
which is derived from new and useful techniques recommended. The unmixing
method presented such as linear and non-linear spectral unmixing, geometric
modelling neural network and fuzzy inference system and radiative transfer
modelling taught in the workshop exposed members with a state-of-the-art
method. The update in the new analysis allowed researchers to be current
and well informed. SPOT vegetation sensor is a low-resolution data that
also has the ability to be combined with high resolution HRVIR and ETM+
data and thus improves the quality of LUCC research.
- The Land Transformation Model (LTM)
LTM develop a spatial temporal model that would predict land use change
within the selected watershed chosen in SEA. It creates a model for the
region undergoing transformation and incorporates policy, socio-economic
and environmental factors that cause land use change. The workshop developed
a pilot LTM that could proof demonstrate the concept. The model would also
be used to generate spatial and temporal data. LTM applies a system approach
model that can test various policy scenarios related to land transformation.
The workshop recommended an alternative model to explain and predict
LUCC. This was very useful for members prior to the introduction of LTM;
the team was using regression and econometric models.
Another feature of LTM is the downstream application. LTM can be used
as indicators of ecological integrity and economic sustainability. The
result of the model could be used to quantify the nature of changes in
landscape and also reflect the qualitative aspects of landscapes. It therefore
provides input to the decision making process in watershed management.
Outcomes/Products
- Seven country reports (hardcopy as well as CD);
- Regional meeting/workshop proceedings in CD;
- Regional synthesis results;
- LUCC results in posters;
- Brochures on the network; and
- Publications in relevant Journals on Global Change Research.
The network scientists are now training locally in areas of RS and GIS.
They also contributed to policy development in their own country. The researchers
have established the Southeast Asia Research and Information Network (SEARIN).
The network is dedicated to the scientific understanding of human-environmental
interactions. SEARIN conducts research on LUCC in an integrated science
framework that includes Remote Sensing, GIS technology, econometric and
system models and fieldwork.
Each country has their own URL. The Malaysian address is: http://
www.eoc.ukm.my
Future directions/Follow-up work
The future direction for the regional network is to continue to expand
global change research in the region, to include more pertinent issues
such as policy implications on LUCC, forest fire and its associated transboundary
haze and pollution, downstream impact on LUCC and others.
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