Ecological Effects of Urban Areas Expansion on Wetlands Between the Shkumbin and Seman Rivers

Aim: This study aims to analyze the spatio-temporal dynamics of urban expansion in the lower plain sector between the Shkumbin and Seman Rivers, Albania, from 1991 to 2020, with a focus on identifying the impacts of this expansion on agricultural land and regional planning. The study area lies in the Myzeqe Plain, part of the Western Lowland of Albania. The definition of urban areas through the use of satellite images brings further development of this analysis, where land use and land cover are taken into account. Methods: The study employed multi-temporal Landsat satellite imagery from 1991, 1995, 2000, 2005, 2013, and 2020, analyzed through GIS-based land use/land cover classification and change detection techniques to quantify spatial urban expansion. Results: The results present the spatial change in km2, but also by presenting it in percentages to summarize the findings more practically. These results are enriched with the findings from the combination of urban areas with the LULC map of 1991, where this study begins. This approach analyzes the expansion of urban areas by reflecting what type of land cover these lands occupied in the first year of the scientific analysis. Before the 1990s, Albania was part of the former communist countries and as a result of this political situation, population movement was controlled. Before this period, the organization of urban systems was planned and almost throughout this time, expansions were few. After this period, people began to have more rights over changing their place of residence, accompanied by the chaotic development of urban areas and new buildings. This study found that urban areas increased from about 6.5 km² in 1991, in the Myzeqe Plain, which corresponds to the study area in 2020, to 61.1 km². These territories are divided into large cities and new urbanized villages. Conclusion: This increased urban stress has mostly fallen on agricultural lands, with 52.4% of new urban areas being built on agricultural lands. Recommendation: These findings support the need for sustainable urban planning strategies to mitigate agricultural land loss and ensure balanced regional development. The study recommends integrating GIS-based monitoring tools into urban planning to manage expansion pressures and preserve critical agricultural areas.