Thirteenth Global Studies Conference

Abstract

The landscape of Ramallah area has experienced one of the most evident changes and transformation in urban landscape patterns. Urban expansion due to the population growth is an important factor that contributed to the landscape change over two decades. These factors were accompanied with the onset of the Palestinian Authority (PA) in the mid-1990s. The aim of this research project is to understand the changing of landscape by investigating in depth the main drivers and consequences of this process; and to develop a framework for the landscape concept, which represents focal points of landscape patterns under complex territorial situation. Even though landscape change has been a pivotal issue of concern, the results indicate that more than 30% of natural landscape area has transformed to urban area. This is a concern rate within an area of approximately 200 hectares. Hence, the process of urbanization that associated with vague urban-urban and rural-urban migration has posed various challenges. These challenges have reshaped and produced a new urban landscape and at the same time affected the natural and cultural landscape adversely. GIS and RS tools are considered effective techniques used in the landscape studies to model landscape changes, and predict the near future changes within and at suburban area and management of spatial space.