CLOUD BASED FOREST LANDSCAPE SPATIAL DATA MODELING

Abstract

Cloud computing is Internet based computing where virtual shared servers provide software, infrastructure, platform, devices and other resources and hosting to customers on a pay-as- you use basis. Cloud computing is applicable in remote sensing for environmental resource management. This research is set to examine Forest Landscape changes in Oluwa forest reserve using cloud-based spatial data. This project makes use of cloud data to model present and future forest cover of the reserve using cloud computing technique. This study demonstrates the role of cloud computing as a method of identifying forest landscape types based on simulated land cover using spatial data and forecast of future land cover pattern in Oluwa forest reserve. The classical method of determining forest cover is time consuming and tedious. The cloud computing technique for determining forest cover changes using Google Earth offers a quicker and less tedious method for determining forest cover changes. In the results, it was observed that there appeared to be a negative change in forest land between 1988 and 2018 with higher rate of change between 1998 and 2008. The secondary forest increased over the years also with higher rate of change between 1998 and 2008 (about 6.5% increase) as against about 1.8% decrease, between 2008 and 2018. There was a general increase in non-forest area between 1988 and 2018. The non-forest area increased by 1.48% between 1998 and 2008, and the period between 1988 and 2008 witnessed 3.93% increase. This is not evident in the changes observed in the forest areas between 1988 and 2008. This shows that loss of forest to human activities occurred most in recent years.