Determining land cover changes in akfirat and its surroundings: Tuzla-Istanbul with remote sensing and geographic information systems

In this study, land cover changes are analyzed by using of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and Satellite Images in Akfirat and Its surroundings (Tuzla ? Istanbul), North-West Turkey. Akfirat and its surroundings are located in Tuzla town, southeast of Istanbul. Istanbul is the most populated city in the world with 13.483.052 population according to the recent 2011 census. The city will expand the north-south and east ? west direction of along the Bosporus and increasing the need for new settlement areas in Istanbul. Akfirat and its surroundings where Istanbul Park Formula 1 racing pist located in this area are interesting example from southeast of Istanbul.Landsat 7 ETM+ and Landsat 5 TM satellite images were used to determine the land cover changes in study area. Unsupervised classification using with Erdas Imagine 9.1 software and on-screen digitizing technique using with ArcGIS 9.1 software were applied.Looking at changes between the years 2003-2010 in the study area, while non irrigated arable land (235.3 hectares) and mixed forests (231.1 hectares) decreased, non continuous urban residental land (271 hectares) showed increased in the research area.Obtained results will be present to political authorities and decision-making mechanisms for more planned land use in Akfirat and its surroundings.