Abstract

This paper investigates how human activities have influenced and altered land cover. It also indicates that the nature of cultural substitution of the indigenous forest species have significance for the functioning of the earth system. It therefore attempts to quantify the ecological implication of land cover change consequent upon land use. The paper integrated a topographical map of 1969 and satellite imageries from Landsat MSS 1972, and Landsat TM 1991 and 2000 with ground truthing and socio-economic surveys to assess changes in forest resource use and land cover in south-western Nigeria. The study argues that land cover modification and conversion is directly related to loss of biodiversity and has negative effect on the ecological setting and that there is need to develop more environmentally and socially equitable approaches to forest management.

Key words: Land covers, land use, human-induced, sustainable management, changing environment.