MAPPING LAND USE/LAND COVER CHANGE IN THE OLOMOUC REGION, CZECH REPUBLIC

Tomáš Václavík

ABSTRACT: The Olomouc region in the Czech Republic has undergone significant changes in the past several decades, including the change in political system of the country in 1989. Although the political and cultural transformation is generally recognized as an important driver of land use (Ptáček 2000), there have been few studies conducted that would empirically assess and quantify land use/land cover changes in the Czech Republic, especially in the context of the post-socialistic transformation (Fanta et al. 2004; Zemek et al. 2005). In this study, I present an approach for identifying major land use/land cover changes in the Olomouc region applying remote sensing techniques to compare data from multispectral satellite sensors acquired twelve years before and twelve years after the revolution in 1989. I pay closer attention to specific trends in land cover changes: changes in agricultural areas, forested areas, and residential development. The results support initial assumptions that the land cover will reflect the changes in human perception of landscape and natural resources, such as smaller need for intensive agriculture, shift to environmental friendly management of forested areas, or increased development and suburbanization.

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