Análisis de las categorías de ordenamiento territorial con relación al cambio de cobertura vegetal en la microcuenca del río Ozogoche

Abstract

Abstract: This research study analyzed land-use planning categories about vegetation cover change within the Ozogoche River micro-watershed, Alausí canton, Chimborazo province. Vegetation cover was identified through a supervised classification of satellite imagery from 2018, 2021, and 2023. A multitemporal analysis was conducted to assess vegetation cover change dynamics. The classified data were restructured according to land-use planning categories (strict conservation, rural production, and rural conservation) to evaluate whether observed changes align with the intended objectives of each category. Results indicated that the transition from páramo ecosystems to agricultural mosaics is significant, suggesting that planning objectives are unmet. This finding implies that during the diagnostic phase of the Territorial Development and Land-Use Plan (PDOT), key socio-economic variables influencing these dynamics were overlooked. Therefore, to develop the next PDOT, it is crucial to reassess zoning strategies to ensure that each planning category aligns with the territorial realities.