Abstract:
There is limited knowledge on how people living in communal areas perceive
land use and land cover (LULC) change and the impacts it has on sustainable
access to essential ecosystem goods and services. This study used seven wet
season Landsat images covering 1989 to 2019 and the Extreme Gradient
Boosting algorithm to map LULC in Tyhume Valley, South Africa. Analyses of
trends in LULC and long-term changes in rainfall over the same period were
based on the Mann Kendall (MK) statistical technique. Perceptions on the causes
and impacts of the observed trends were solicited from 102 respondents and
summarized through frequency analysis. Major trends that emerged from imagebased
analysis include the expansion of Vachellia karroo by 25% (t = 0.98; p =
0.004), decrease in pastureland by 18% (t = –0.90, p = 0.007), decrease in
cropland by 9.6% (t = –0.90, p = 0.007), decrease in surface water by 1.1% (-0.90,
p = 0.007), and increase in built-up area by 2.5% (t = 1.00, p = 0.003). Perceived
causes of these trends include the eradication of land access control systems,
poor management of surface water, lack of farmer support programs, and 14
years of negative rainfall anomalies. The impacts of these changes include longdistance
trekking of animals to pastures and watering points, increased livestock
malnutrition and mortality, decline of medicinal and culturally significant trees,
increased purchasing of stock feed, increased unemployment, and consumption
of unhealthy food. The study concludes by highlighting the need to
accommodate local perceptions in the formulation of policies and practices
for sustainable use of ecosystem services.
