Assessment of land use change in the "La Marquesa" (1994-2007) national park, applying GIS technology

Abstract

The National Park Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla, commonly known as “La Marquesa”, was established in 1936 as a Natural Protected Area. In spite of the status as a protected area, its vegetative cover has suffered considerable modifications during the last decades, resulting in severe ecosystemic problems. This paper aims, firstly, to describe land-use changes between 1994 to 2007. Secondly, on the basis of this diachronic description, we will propose conservation strategies in order to better protect the national park and its ecological characteristics. Orthophotographs of 1994, 1999, and 2007 at the 1:75000 scale have been used to digitize and analyze types of vegetation over the sample period. Based on this analysis, we defined eleven categories of land use. The results demonstrate that the area has undergone changes regarding the dynamics of land use, for example with respect to agricultural activities and urban sprawl. Expansion of touristic and recreational facilities caused deforestation, while poorly planned livestock farming resulted in pasture growth, which in turn led to decreasing groundwater resources and, therefore, had a major impact on environmental systems. These transformations are particularly apparent for the period 1999-2007.

Revista Ciencias Espaciales, Volumen 8, Número 2 Otoño, 2015; 243-258