ABSTRACT
Two widely used terms for denoting transformation of land from natural into managed ecosystems are: land use and land cover (Turner and Meyer, 1994). The term land use is primarily utilized by geographers, economists, anthropologists, and planners, and implies human use of the land for specific purposes. Land use is defined as “the human activity associated with a specific piece of land” (Lillesand and Kiefer, 1987) or “it is the purpose of human activity on the land” (NRCS, 1992). There are several classes of land use such as for growing crops, raising animals, establishing forests for timber, exploring for minerals and fossil fuels, establishing habitats and urban centers, preserving natural resources, and for recreation. From the knowledge of area under a specific land use at different times, it is possible to calculate “land use change” over that period or the rate of change of a specific land use. The land use change may involve shift from one category to another or to change in intensity of the same land use.
