The impact of land acquisition for cooperative housing development on the land environment in Woldia Town, Ethiopia

This study assesses the impact of land acquisition for cooperative housing development on the land environment in Woldia town from 2004 -2024. Satellite imagery, Google Earth Pro, focus group discussions, personal observation and key informant interviews were used. The results revealed that the proportions of farmland decreased from 19.27 to 6 %, forest cover from 24.95 to 13.98 %, and bare land from 18.84 to 2.37 % for 2004–2024. The built-up increased significantly, from 11.35 to 49.62% during the specified year. The results further indicated that the quality of habitats decreased from 0.79 in 2014 to 0.63 in 2024, due to built-up areas, improper waste disposal, population growth, road expansion, and cooperative housing expansion. Strong negative correlations between habitat quality status and the number of years of habitat quality assessment, built-up areas, waste disposal, population density, roads, and cooperative housing were observed while forest cover showed a strong positive correlation. These problems can be managed through the application of zoning laws, urban planning, compact development, mixed-use development, the promotion of sustainable land use practices, the protection of critical habitats, the development and implementation of policies to increase forest cover, and increasing public awareness. The novel component of this study is the preparation of maps for habitat quality due to land acquisition for cooperative housing development, and to aid in the accomplishment of two 2030 Sustainable Development Goals: goal number 11 (making cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable) and goal number 15 (protecting, restoring, and promoting the sustainable use of land ecosystems, managing forests sustainably, and stopping land degradation and biodiversity loss). The findings inform decision-makers and planners to plan and manage the land environment sustainably.