Land Use Land Cover Change of Yedzeram Basin in Mubi and Its Environs from 2010-2024

The study on loss and gains of land use land cover change of Yedzeram Basin in Mubi and its environs from 2010 to 2024 in Adamawa State, Nigeria focused on the transformations in key environmental features due to urbanization and development. The research determined the losses and gains in the spatial distribution of buildings, water bodies, vegetation cover, and bare soil over 14-year period, providing insights for sustainable urban planning and resource management. The problem addressed stemmed from the lack of detailed empirical data and spatial analysis specific to Yedzeram Basin in Mubi and its surroundings, a smaller town often overlooked in favour of larger urban centers in previous studies. Literature on Land Use and Land Cover Change (LULCC) highlighted global urbanization trends but failed to capture the unique changes in gains and loss of land uses that shaped land use in Yedzeram Basin in Mubi and its environs for the past 14 years. This gap necessitated the use of satellite imagery from Landsat 8 and Landsat 9, processed through Geographic Information System (GIS) software, combined with field surveys to validate data and get the actual land cover conditions. The analysis revealed significant urban expansion, with built-up areas increasing to 2,563 hectares by 2024, while vegetation cover decreased to 3,311 hectares, and water bodies sharply declined from 37,514 hectares in 2010 to just 1,156 hectares. The increase in bare soil to 5,913 hectares reflected the consequences of deforestation and land degradation. This study provided a much-needed spatial analysis of Yedzeram Basin in Mubi's land use dynamics, offering insights into the environmental and socio-economic impacts of urban growth and agricultural expansion. It solved the problem of limited data on the region, helping policymakers and planners to better understand these changes. The study recommended sustainable land management practices, such as reforestation and conservation efforts, and encouraged the use of GIS technology in future urban planning to monitor and mitigate the environmental consequences of ongoing development.