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Using GIS to Better Understand the Land-use Change in the Mt. Makiling Forest Reserve
Abstract:
The existing administrative records, census information, and data generated from various studies were collected to build a Geographic Information System (GIS) database that was used to relate some socioeconomic variables to the change in land use and land cover that occurred in the Mt. Makiling Forest Reserve (MFR) within the period 1992-1999. The 1999 land use map was constructed from aerial photographs and overlaid onto the baseline map (1992) to determine the magnitude and location of change. There was a net loss in forest of around 72 hectares over the seven-year period. The changes appeared as small patches located along the line separating the main forest block and the cultivated areas. Abandoned and unmanaged farms would regain forest cover given a favorable condition.
The more than 4,300-hectare forest reserve is a mountain landscape surrounded by fast growing industrial, commercial, and residential areas. Cultivation and settlement in areas not allotted for housing facilities are not among the intended land uses. The forest reserve is primarily intended as a field laboratory of the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB) and as site of scientific studies and researches. It is also a very important watershed, recreation site, and biodiversity conservation landscape.
Various thematic maps were created from queries on the socioeconomic characteristics of the land claimants and on the attributes of the farm lots. The spatial distribution of farm lots and their relative location were used as the main basis in relating the observed change in land use in MFR with the socioeconomic variables that characterized the communities in the area. GIS was employed to increase the utility of the existing socioeconomic datasets. This gave a clearer picture of the spatial distribution of farm lots.
The study found that land use/land cover change would continue in the mountain landscape. A gradual conversion along the edge of the existing forest was expected. The change would not be discernible on aerial photographs because a portion of the original forest cover was retained on new farms and due to the widespread practice of multi-cropping system using fruit trees as base crops. In addition, the increasing population, land ownership and manner of staking land claims (actual cultivation, inheritance, and purchase) were considered important factors that would shape the future land uses of MFR.
The study also found that the existing datasets, which include farm sketches, were a good alternative to primary data in terms of utility for land use/land cover change study. However, a georeferenced baseline data and information is still wanting.