Opedes, HoseaBaartman, JantieneMücher, SanderMugagga, Frank2022-11-272022-11-272022Opedes, H., Baartman, J., Mücher, S., & Mugagga, F. (2022). Monitoring land cover changes and farming dynamics in the fringes of Mount Elgon National Park, Uganda (No. EGU22-311). Copernicus Meetings. https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu22-311https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu22-311https://nru.uncst.go.ug/handle/123456789/5449Analyzing the dominant forms and extent of land cover changes in the Mount Elgon region is important for tracking conservation efforts and sustainable land management. Mount Elgon's rugged terrain limits monitoring these changes over large areas. With conducive climatic conditions, highly fertile and productive soils; Elgon is one of the densely populated rural mountainous regions in East Africa. The demand for more agricultural land and space for settlement has led to continued vegetation clearance and encroachment of the park. These pressures combined with the loss of vegetation cover have led to the continued occurrence of natural hazards, especially landslides and soil erosion events. Recent studies have given focus to these hazards and coping strategies. However, monitoring changes in land cover and associated driving factors are fundamental towards the improvement of land use, land restoration, and vegetation recovery in Mount Elgon. This study used multitemporal satellite imagery, aerial photographs, field surveys, and expert interviews to analyze and quantify the land cover flows in the upper Manafwa watershed of Mount Elgon, for 42 years covering an area of 319.73km2. The study employed remote sensing techniques and geographic information system and software to map land cover changes for four stages (1978-1988, 1988-2001, 2001-2010, and 2010-2020). The study considered nine land cover classes; tropical high forest well-stocked, grassland, shrubs, bushland, bare & sparsely vegetated surfaces, tropical high forest low-stocked, agriculture, planted forest, and built-up. The maximum likelihood classifier of supervised classification and postclassification comparison technique was used in land cover classification and change detection analysis.enLand coverFarming dynamicsMount Elgon National ParkUgandaArticle