The Impact of An Agricultural-development Project On a Tropical Forest Environment - the Case of Shaba (zaire)

The objective of this study was to assess the impact of on agricultural project on a tropical forest environment. The project supported maize production between 1978 and 1986 in the north of the region of Shaba (Zaire) where forest areas were cleared for cultivation. This study was conducted to provide a better understanding of certain global change processes such as the influence of human activities on the rate and patterns of deforestation on the edge of the tropical evergreen forest. The area classified as ''forest'' at different dates was compared using photographic mosaics from 1957 and Landsat MSS data from 1973 to 1989. Special attention was placed on pinpointing these changes; the data were analyzed using a geographic information system, which was useful in assessing road network development and the impact of the agricultural project centers.