LEWIS, Barry Murray - 1979

Land Use Change in Sandy Cove, Digby County, Nova Scotia 1945-1978

In the rural community of Sandy Cove, in Digby County, Nova Scotia, land use change from 1945 to 1978 was analysed with reference to data (area measurements of land use categories) and to the location of the land use change in the study area. The land use change was shown to be statistically significant in five of the six grouped study dates, and pasture land was the influential factor which determined the statistical significance of the land use change in the time frames. The influential factors that caused the change in the land use were determined to be physical, social, economic, accessibility, and aesthetic value of a location. The complexity of the processes of change in the spatial patterns of land use are great and further investigation into land use change in the small rural setting is needed in order that our understanding and knowledge be enhanced and can be applied to larger and more complex regions at the provincial, national, and world levels.