Forum Geografi
Vol. 40 No. 2 (2026): August 2026

Integration of Topography Map and Land Use Change Modeling for Sustainable Tourism Development in Merapi Volcano, Indonesia

Syamsul Bachri (Department of Geography, Universitas Negeri Malang, Jl. Semarang 5, Malang 65145)
Sandy Budi Wibowo (Department of Geographic Information Science, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Bulaksumur, Yogyakarta 0274-6492599)
Sunardi Sunardi (Department of Biology, Universitas Padjajaran, Sumedang)
Franck Lavigne (Physical Geography Laboratory, University of Paris 1 Pantheon Sorbonne)
Sumarmi Sumarmi (Department of Geography, Universitas Negeri Malang, Jl. Semarang 5, Malang 65145)
Mellinia Regina Heni Prastiwi (Department of Geography, Universitas Negeri Malang, Jl. Semarang 5, Malang 65145)
A Riyan Rahman Hakiki (Department of Geography Education, Universitas Lambung Mangkurat, Jl. Brigjend H. Hasan Basri, Kalimantan Selatan)
Tabita May Hidiyah (Department of Geography, Universitas Negeri Malang, Jl. Semarang 5, Malang 65145)
Nanda Regita Cahyaning Putri (Department of Geography, Universitas Negeri Malang, Jl. Semarang 5, Malang 65145)



Article Info

Publish Date
21 Apr 2026

Abstract

Indonesia, as the country with the highest number of active volcanoes worldwide, faces significant challenges from volcanic hazards. Mount Merapi, one of the most active volcanoes, is surrounded by intensive tourism and residential development, which increase the region’s vulnerability. This study integrates DEMNAS-based topographic analysis and the Land Change Modeler (LCM) with the Multi-Layer Perceptron (MLP)–Markov Chain algorithm to examine land-use dynamics and risks to tourism in the Opak Oyo Watershed. Multi-temporal Landsat imagery (2004, 2014, 2024) was classified using the CART algorithm, achieving an overall accuracy of 94.5% and a Kappa coefficient of 0.928. The results show that between 2014 and 2024, the area of built-up land increased by 47.12 km², while that of forests declined by 127.76 km², indicating strong anthropogenic pressure. The validated LCM model projected that by 2034 built-up land will expand to 228.13 km², increasing by 46.04 km² (3.53%) compared to 2024, while agricultural land is predicted to decrease by 100.14 km² (–7.67%). Forest areas are projected to increase by 90.75 km² (6.95%), reflecting ecological rehabilitation scenarios. Tourism risk analysis shows that a significant number of tourism sites are located within KRB III (a high-risk zone), where projected building expansion overlaps with areas exposed to pyroclastic flows and lahar hazards. The findings highlight that integrating topographic constraints with predictive land-use modeling provides a robust spatial framework for sustainable tourism development in volcanic regions. The approach supports risk-informed zoning, environmentally sensitive land allocation, and long-term spatial planning strategies in Mount Merapi and other hazard-prone landscapes.

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Journal Info

Abbrev

fg

Publisher

Subject

Earth & Planetary Sciences

Description

Aim Forum Geografi is an open-access, peer-reviewed journal dedicated to advancing the field of geography by publishing original scientific articles on spatial issues. The journal prioritizes studies that employ rigorous spatial analysis and geospatial technologies—such as GIS and remote ...