Land Use and Land Cover Change Detection For Dehradun City (2004-2009)

Abstract

According to the UDPFI guide lines , an urban area is characterized by population sizes greater thatn 5,000 and at least 75% of the resident population dependent on non-agricultural/primary activities for income generation. Supporting populatons and economic activites requires the occupancy of land or the utilization of resources linked to land . Hence , growth in population or tis redistribution and growth/shifts in economic activity manifests as changes in land use and / or land cover. Studying land use / land cover changes can therefore help understand the trends and predict settlement development patterns in any region which in turn can guide spatial planning and policy making.