Abstract:
This study e vulvuted c;h,rn,'i{e.t i11 land-use ()11(/ land ro1~ that occurred from 1986 to 2010 and
socioecononuc impact in Batur Dar . ..fdn1inlsJFarion and Rah.fr Dar Zuriu u.{ Amhara r·c.gron,
Ethiopia. The study area is around /65ti36.53 ha (1656.31 km>J m11 can be representative of the
ht'gh lands u/~ Ethiopia in terms uf lt>pogtapil}'. climate, vegetauon. and socioeconomic
conditians. The ~!enf:ra! ;>bftt:tit'c' Oj- lhr.: suM{v '~·' to predic1 tl:e trends of land use <Ind land C•iV.:.'T
chang« and its b.'1JJc1CIS of the exfStitJR tend lttZ and itusd (0\:<'.i' thnr has occurred ;n the study
att,.a. 111is ivas uchie-red t/11.,oug/a the Wt' of remote sensing k".<:Ju1t<fk'!S ~RD,-1S imagine for the
land use land co1•cr classification t11xi Get.J'f:rc"'lpl;ic hifflrmation S,1"J·tems (<;J.~'j software for
prepare the themali(:-;,,!",;)s. (}Mu121t truth ob:ce.ri,.\"llions for che!'Kin~ the occurac)' <J.Jr the
classificauon The <tua~' also uu,,n1p(ed zo estabhsb. the foaors contributing 10 land-use and land
covt•r c;hans·i!s and thiJ· H'<I.) uchft."l:ed through 3emi-Slrth;1U1'ed interviews with focus g>'O!IJ'
discussinns fhr co!l.:,t.:led socioeconomic data ~t'fl' used er the methodologicu! ttf.lf.)rouch. The
results o.f (his study revealed ihat ,..,,fJiWI1ed area occupied t1bt)u/ 1.9 67 percent fro»: the totat
,
aeria! c~verage in 1986 has increased to 6060 percent in 1999 and decreased in 59.68 percent
un1,:t 2010. Grazing' land, wetland and wute« ln:xf)• ,n'l?a alto hav« experienced chan~e in the sutdy
periods. Built-u;> lands l.5i.:ttfuJn'rtr.l) hove increased from J.04 perceut ro 6.30 ,r>2rcenl ofth« iota!
area fiom 1986 SIJ 2010. The drtving forces o_l tlu.• land use and land cover changes 1t-·e1·.:•
de111(}'5:,rapllic faetor», urban expansion. ;)1w11nu!nO and UK-'ttrll:!'nt'SS offarmers towards land us~~
managemerus wei-e rh~ 1na1n jactors for c!u111ge ir. ihP Tt:idy period. The implicntton oj' land use
<JJ1d iand cover chunge showed cultivated land h~ ~creaseLl.frtnn l.!:16 ha so i'.51 ha and I.lha
01/c'r the las: 25;r.:ars at household level: ,\faj:>r cnniribliling factors inctuded shrinking (.;f.f(ir1n