Electronic Theses and Dissertation

Hutan merupakan ekosistem penting yang berperan dalam menjaga keseimbangan lingkungan dan mendukung kehidupan sosial ekonomi masyarakat. Namun, saat ini hutan sedang mengalami tekanan alih fungsi lahan untuk pertanian, perkebunan, urbanisasi, dan eksploitasi sumber daya alam telah menyebabkan perubahan tutupan lahan yang signifikan. Daerah Aliran Sungai (DAS) Krueng Keureuto di Kabupaten Aceh Utara dan Bener Meriah memiliki luas 106.630,45 ha. Berkurangnya tutupan vegetasi meningkatkan risiko kekeringan, menurunkan produktivitas pertanian, dan berdampak pada ketahanan pangan serta pendapatan petani. Kondisi ini memicu degradasi lingkungan serta bencana banjir dan longsor, seperti di Desa Ceubrek Pirak, Kecamatan Matangkuli dan Lhoksukon, Kabupaten Aceh Utara, yang kerap terdampak luapan Sub-DAS Krueng Keureuto. Banjir besar terakhir terjadi pada 2023 dan mengakibatkan lebih dari 8.500 kepala keluarga mengungsi. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk memetakan tutupan lahan di Daerah Aliran Sungai Krueng Keureuto Kabupaten Aceh Utara dan Bener Meriah, tahun 2014 dan 2024 dan untuk menganalisis perubahan tutupan lahan di DAS Krueng Keureuto Kabupaten Aceh Utara dan Bener Meriah, tahun 2014 dan 2024. Sampel penelitian ditentukan dengan metode purposive sampling, yaitu pemilihan sampel berdasarkan pertimbangan tertentu dengan mengutamakan area yang mudah diakses. Titik koordinat diambil dengan aplikasi Avenza maps, ditentukan berdasarkan hasil analisis citra satelit tahun terakhir 2024, dengan minimal tiga titik per jenis tutupan lahan sebagai representasi. Pemilihan titik mempertimbangkan aksesibilitas lokasi, sehingga hanya wilayah yang dapat dijangkau yang dijadikan lokasi pengambilan data, dengan itu 100 titik sampel diambil dan tersebar di seluruh kawasan DAS Krueng Keureuto.
Hasil penelitian ini menunjukkan bahwa kawasan DAS Krueng Keureuto tahun 2014 memiliki 11 kelas tutupan lahan. Jenis-jenis ini meliputi hutan lahan kering primer, hutan lahan kering sekunder, semak belukar, semak belukar rawa, perkebunan, permukiman, lahan terbuka, pertanian lahan kering, pertanian lahan kering campur, sawah dan tubuh air. Sedangkan tutupan lahan tahun 2024 memiliki 10 kelas tutupan lahan. Jenis-jenis ini meliputi hutan lahan kering primer, hutan lahan kering sekunder, semak belukar, perkebunan, permukiman, lahan terbuka, pertanian lahan kering, pertanian lahan kering campur, sawah dan tubuh air. Perubahan tutupan lahan yang berubah pada tahun 2014 terdapat semak belukar rawa sedangkan pada tahun 2024 tidak terdapatnya kelas tutupan lahan semak belukar rawa yang luasnya sudah tersebar atau terbagi di setiap kelas tutupan lahan tahun 2024. Dalam 11 tahun (2014 – 2024), seluruh kelas tutupan lahan di DAS Krueng Keureuto mengalami perubahan. Hutan lahan kering primer bertambah 1.072,04 ha, sedangkan hutan lahan kering sekunder berkurang 3.966,45 ha. Lahan terbuka menyusut 1.026,42 ha. Perkebunan meningkat 1.107,28 ha dan permukiman melonjak 7.088,12 ha. Pertanian lahan kering turun 5.357,42 ha, pertanian lahan kering campur berkurang 1.663,98 ha, dan sawah menyusut 86,06 ha, kemungkinan akibat program cetak sawah baru atau konversi lahan. Semak belukar turun drastis 3.409,75 ha, diduga dialihfungsikan menjadi permukiman, perkebunan, serta lahan kering campur semak.

Forests are vital ecosystems that play an important role in maintaining environmental balance and supporting the socio-economic life of communities. However, at present, forests are under pressure from land-use conversion for agriculture, plantations, urbanization, and natural resource exploitation, which has caused significant changes in land cover. The Krueng Keureuto Watershed (DAS) in North Aceh and Bener Meriah Districts covers an area of 106,630.45 ha. The reduction of vegetation cover increases the risk of drought, decreases agricultural productivity, and affects food security as well as farmers’ income. This condition also triggers environmental degradation and disasters such as floods and landslides, as seen in Ceubrek Pirak Village, Matangkuli and Lhoksukon Sub-districts, North Aceh District, which are frequently affected by flooding from the Krueng Keureuto sub-watershed. The most recent major flood occurred in 2023, displacing more than 8,500 households. This research aims to map land cover in the Krueng Keureuto Watershed, North Aceh and Bener Meriah Districts, in 2014 and 2024, and to analyze land cover changes during this period. The research samples were determined using purposive sampling, which involves selecting samples based on specific considerations, prioritizing areas with easier accessibility. Coordinate points were collected using the Avenza Maps application, determined based on the 2024 satellite imagery analysis, with a minimum of three points per land cover type as representation. The selection of points considered site accessibility, so only locations that could be reached were used as sampling sites. In total, 100 sampling points were collected and distributed across the Krueng Keureuto Watershed. The results show that in 2014, the Krueng Keureuto Watershed had 11 land cover classes, including primary dryland forest, secondary dryland forest, shrub, swamp shrub, plantation, settlement, bare land, dryland agriculture, mixed dryland agriculture, rice fields, and water bodies. Meanwhile, in 2024, there were 10 land cover classes, consisting of primary dryland forest, secondary dryland forest, shrub, plantation, settlement, bare land, dryland agriculture, mixed dryland agriculture, rice fields, and water bodies. The swamp shrub class found in 2014 was no longer present in 2024, as its area had already been distributed into other land cover classes. Over the 11-year period (2014–2024), all land cover classes in the Krueng Keureuto Watershed underwent changes. Primary dryland forest increased by 1,072.04 ha, while secondary dryland forest decreased by 3,966.45 ha. Bare land declined by 1,026.42 ha. Plantations expanded by 1,107.28 ha, and settlements rose significantly by 7,088.12 ha. Dryland agriculture decreased by 5,357.42 ha, mixed dryland agriculture declined by 1,663.98 ha, and rice fields shrank by 86.06 ha, possibly due to new rice field development programs or land conversion. Shrub areas decreased sharply by 3,409.75 ha, likely converted into settlements, plantations, and mixed dryland-shrub areas.