Effects of anthropogenic activities on wetland coverage case study Nyama, Nyamasa and Titi Kiryandongo District

Abstract

With increasing population human activities have greatly increased which has directly put pressure on resources such as wetlands as they can be used for settlement purposes, they have no owners, agriculture because of their fertile soils and water availability. The objective of this study was to determine the extent of wetland loss in Kiryandongo case study Nyama, Nyamasa and Titi and also identify anthropogenic activities carried out within these wetlands. The study was carried out using GIS and remote sensing and Questionnaire studies, people living and working adjacent to the wetlands were targeted and asked to answer the questionnaire in each of the three wetlands. Coordinates of the exact places of these wetlands was obtained through the use of GPS phones. The coordinates were used to generate pictures showing the aerial view of these wetlands, they were later processed to determine the exact extent of wetland loss in Kiryandongo district by using GIS software from 2013 to 2018. Significant change in wetland loss was observed from 2018 to 2023 with some wetlands recording 86% loss. Major factors that contributed to the wetland loss in these wetlands noted was agriculture and urbanization. Nyamasa had an 8.7% average loss per annum, Nyama 8.1% per annum and Titi -2.1% with wetlands that have been degraded have the major anthropogenic activities as agriculture being carried out. People living adjacent to these wetlands showed a sense of concern but enforcement is a major problem and wetlands found in the interior being ignored