What has driven changes in land use and land cover in West Africa over the past 40 years? What trends or patterns can be discerned in those changes? To answer these questions, the U.S. Geological Survey West Africa Land Use Dynamics project partnered with the Permanent Interstate Committee for Drought Control in the Sahel and the U.S. Agency for International Development/West Africa to map land use and land cover across the region for three time periods (years): 1975, 2000, and 2013. This cooperative effort has resulted in the publication of a 219-page atlas, “Landscapes of West Africa: A Window on a Changing World.” The atlas uses satellite imagery, maps, and pictures to tell a complex story of landscape change at regional and national scales. It includes a collection of focused studies, some of which raise cause for concern, and others that provide considerable hope.
Citation Information
Publication Year | 2017 |
---|---|
Title | The landscapes of West Africa—40 years of change |
DOI | 10.3133/fs20173005 |
Authors | Suzanne E. Cotillon |
Publication Type | Report |
Publication Subtype | USGS Numbered Series |
Series Title | Fact Sheet |
Series Number | 2017-3005 |
Index ID | fs20173005 |
Record Source | USGS Publications Warehouse |
USGS Organization | Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS) Center |