ABSTRACT

 Changing conditions owing to increasing forest loss and fragmentation from numerous human activities and unplanned urbanization make vegetation cover and change detection study and analysis an extremely important consideration for sustainable management. This study applied the use of Quantum GIS to detect and study changes in vegetation characteristics ofthe 36 states in Nigeria, including FC (Abuja), grouped into six (6) geographical and ecological zones from 2000 to 2018, using Landsat MODIS TM acquired from NASA Earth data through the software APPEEARS. Based on the results of the study, it is concluded that Nigerian vegetation has undergone remarkable changes during the past 19years among the states, geographical and ecological zones. Per cent Tree Cover (PTC) increased at the rate of 0.15%, with the highest mean recorded in 2017 and the lowest in 2002. Also, among the geographical zones, mean PTC was higher in North West and lower in North Central. Among ecological zones, mean PTC was higher in Sahel savannah and lower in Guinea savannah, with some states in the Rainforest zone having the highest PTC. Percent NonTree (PNT) decreased at the rate of 0.14% with the highest and lowest mean PNT recorded in 2003 and 2018 respectively. Mean PNT was higher in North Central and lower in South-South geographical zones. Mean PNT also was higher in Guinea savannah and lower in Sahel savannah ecological zones with some states in the Rainforest zone having the highest PNT. Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI) decreased at the rate of 2.82%, with the highest and lowest means recorded in 2014 and 2017 respectively, South West and North West geographical zones had the higher and lower mean EVI respectively, and finally, Rainforest and Sahel savannah ecological zones had the higher and lower mean EVI respectively. It is recommended that there should be improved management systems in the forestry sector, reforestation projects should be carried out to improve upon the vegetation cover and the use of GIS in monitoring vegetation characteristics should be highly encouraged.