Assessing the effectiveness of land resource management practices on erosion and vegetative cover using GIS and remote sensing techniques in Melaka watershed, Ethiopia

Abstract Background Land resource management measures, such as soil bund, trench, check dams and plantation had been practiced in Melaka watershed, Ethiopia since 2010. The objective of this study is to assess the impact of above measures on soil loss rate, vegetative cover and livelihood of the population. Results The land cover spatial data sets were created from Landsat satellite images of 2010 and 2015 using ERDAS IMAGINE 2014®. Soil loss rate was calculated using Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE) and its input data were generated from field investigation, satellite imageries and rainfall analysis. Data on land resource of the study area and its impact on livelihood were collected through face-to-face interview and key informants. The results revealed that cropland decreased by 9% whereas vegetative cover and grassland increased by 96 and 136%, respectively. The soil loss rate was 19.2 Mg ha−1 year−1 in 2010 and 12.4 Mg ha−1 year−1 in 2015, accounting to 34% decrease over 5 years. It may be attributed to construction of soil bund and the biological measures practiced by the stakeholders. Consequently, land productivity and availability of forage was improved which substantially contributed to the betterment of people’s livelihood. Conclusions The land resource management measures practiced in the study area were highly effective for reducing soil loss, improving vegetation cover and livelihood of the population