Urban Expansion Effects on Landscape Pattern: The case of Ramallah Area

Abstract

Urbanization is a worldwide phenomenon particularly in the developing countries. Urban expansion and changes along with its effect on the natural landscape and environmental consequences have been investigated. The study used a number of time sequence aerial photos analysis and urban landscape index model for the period 1993-2016.In addition, GIS and RS were applied for interpreting the results that are related to various factors in natural landscape change. The study showed that urbanization rate of Ramallah area is about 607o and is much more in comparison to other cities of the West Bank, which is mainly driven by uncontrolled urban expansion process due to increasing internal migration since 1993 and up today. Urban expansion has brought serious loses of agricultural and natural vegetation cover that affected adversely on the natural landscape, in addition to variety of urban related environmental issues such as air and water pollution. Results also indicated a reduction in the forest area by about 3.5Vo, a reduction of 57Vo in the uncultivated land, and a reduction 22Vo in olives groves. Such reduction in land use attributes has been accompanied by an increase of about 557o in urban areas. In addition, the Landscape Expansion Index (LEI) has changed from in-filling to edge-expansion in the first stage of urbanization process, then stafted to be an out-lying expansion landscape pattern in a later stage which is indicating high landscape change. Major urban expansion areas occulred in ghe north-west direction of the study area where most of land use was classified as green area. In addition, the continuous urban expansion has a profound effect on the green areas, in addition to environmental, economic and social implications.