Land Cover Change in the Amazon: Bringing Farmers into the Map

John Sydenstricker-Neto, Cornell University

This paper assesses land cover/use change in Machadinho D'Oeste, Rondonia, Brazil. Landsat MSS, TM, and ETM data were used to create maps of land cover for 1986-99. Data collection included meetings with small farmers and household surveys. Overall accuracy of maps for each year and two levels of taxonomic resolution ranged between 85-95% (Kappa 0.51-0.89). Land use change matrices (1986-99) are consistent with the trends observed in the study area. The participatory data collection process provides important contributions. The specific protocol is applicable for broader contexts; building trust among stakeholders is required when working with contested issues such as deforestation; systematic data collection among farmers provided alternative sources of information not directly available through other sources; the procedure provided greater confidence for interpreting and understanding classification errors. Finally, the data collection and reporting processes empowered local farmers and provided a forum for discussing land cover/use changes, current challenges, and alternatives.