Land use types and environmental status of lake ol bolossat catchment, Nyandarua District, Kenya
2003
Macharia, G.M.(Kenyatta University, Department of Environment Foundation, Nairobi, Kenya) | Wamicha, W.N.(Kenyatta University, Department of Environment Foundation, Nairobi, Kenya) | Gichuki, N.N.(Centre For Biodiversity Conservation, National Museums of Kenya)
Human activity and land use have various impacts on land cover and the status of any ecosystem Such human activity include harvesting vegetation (trees, shrubs, etc.) for various uses. Land use covers a variety of dispositions that occupy the land which include grazing, arable farming (through rainfed or irrigated), forests and settlements. This study investigated the main land use types found in the Lake 01 Bolossat catchment, major crops and approximate area occupied and the status of the agro-ecosystem The major land uselland cover types found are arable farming, grazing and forestry. Settlements are found on farms along access roads. The main crops found are maize, potatoes, peas, cabbages and carrots. Maize is the main subsistence crop and is found in all areas of the basin. Other crops are zoned with carrots being dominant in the irrigated area at the base of the Sattimal Supuko escarpment on the eastern side, where it is the main cash crop. Sheep is the dominant stock followed by cattle and goats. Land degradation in form of soil erosion and excessive clearing of vegetation through cutting and burning have set in. There is general overgrazing in the riparian zone. Environmental rehabilitation through establishment of tree nurseries, planting of trees and use of soil conservation structures was found to be minimal and is more 00 the western than the eastern side of the lake.
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