Work

Thirty-three years of land cover change analysis on Idjwi Island (DRC) using remote sensing and landscape metrics

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Idjwi Island, in Lake Kivu, DRC, faces increased vulnerability to human activities due to its isolation. A 33-year study (1990–2023) analysed land cover changes using remote sensing, landscape metrics, and the Random Forest algorithm. Landsat images were georeferenced, corrected, and classified to assess these changes. Results showed dramatic deforestation, with forest cover dropping from 57.16 km2 (20.61%) in 1990 to 3.25 km2 (1.17%) in 2023, with rates of change between −27.59% and −63.98%. As forests shrank, patch distances increased from 91.73 m to 172.54 m, indicating fragmentation. Savanna and agricultural areas expanded, peaking at 153.75 km2 in 2015 before decreasing to 131.78 km2 in 2023. The landscape disturbance index rose 21-fold, from 84.02 to 3.85. These shifts, driven by agriculture and urbanisation, underline the need for sustainable management, such as reforestation and balanced land use policies, to prevent further environmental degradation.

Source: Landscape Research

DOI: 10.1080/01426397.2025.2523416