Abstract

Aniefiok S. Itohowo*, Ebong M. Sampson, Asuoha C, Odey DA, Idio Emmanuel

The study assessed Landuse and Land Cover Change (LULCC), vegetation diversity and sustainable conservation and in the mangrove area of Akwa Ibom state, Nigeria. The study specifically mapped and assessed the patterns of landuse change within the period of thirty-six years (1986 to 2022), investigated the drivers of landuse change, assessed the current status of vegetation diversity, examined the effect of landuse drivers on vegetation diversity, and project the future land cover for conservation and sustainability in the area. To achieve these objectives, the study used remotely sensed image data, and direct field observation. Landsat imageries of 1986, 2003, and 2022 were utilized for pre-processing using unsupervised classification; questionnaire were used to determine the drivers of landuse practices; direct field study to examine the current vegetation status in the area. Result revealed that open water decreased by 1.17% with a 0.017 sq.km annual rate of change, while mangrove swamp forest witnessed a fluctuating fortune as there increased at 37.87% with annual rate of change of 0. 035 sq.km for the periods (1986-2003), while the periods (2003 to 2022), witnessed a margunal decrease of 20.98%. Also, a 34% decrease was observed for the fresh water swamp forest with a 0.494 sq.km rate of annual change, while builtup/bareland increased at 12.52% and 33.7% at an annual rate of 0.798 sq.km and 0.49 sq.km respectively. The study recommends an urgent need for collaborative (that is community leaders, family heads, and government) land management through designing relevant framework to mitigate measures and adopt the concept of sustainable development in the study area.