Land use change and factors affecting changes in Huaynamphung sub-watershed, Thailand
2010
Damrongsadsiri, K., Philippines Univ. Los Ba񯳬 College, Laguna (Philippines). School of Environmental Science and Management | Macandog, D.M., Philippines Univ. Los Ba񯳬 College, Laguna (Philippines). Inst. of Biological Sciences
Land use change is the complete replacement, including modifications of one cover type by another land cover type. It depends on the factors that affect the decision making of land owners both bio-physical and socio-economic, respectively. The study was conducted in Huaynamphung subwatershed in Thailand. The study aims to assess the land use change from 1988 to 2002 and determine the factors affecting the decision of the farmers in the study area. Satellite imageries of the area were interpreted to create land use maps for 1988 and 2008, respectively. Land uses were classified into 7 classes as follows: (1) natural forest; (2) paddy field; (3) field crop; (4) orchards and tree plantation; (5) grassland; (6) settlement and (7) water. Factors affecting land use change were determined through random household survey. Results showed that the area of natural forest and field crop have changed significantly compared to other land uses. However, the land area of natural forest decreased while the land area of field crop increased. Similarly, the land areas of orchards and tree plantation, settlements and water have increased. Moreover, in terms of factors affecting land use changes, 101 respondents out of 204 respondents have changed their crop due to both biophysical and socioeconomic factors. Price of productivity, management, government advocacy and diseases, insects and pests were the most important factors affecting the decision of farmers in the study area. The land use in the study area has changed over the period of 20 years. These changes were associated with farmers' decision making and other socioeconomic factors. Biophysical factors also play an important role in land use changes but were not the same degree as that of the socioeconomic factors.
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