 A hybrid change detection method that combines change vector analysis with vegetation indices is proposed to map the conversion of native grassland to cultivated agriculture and update the grassland vegetation inventory based on multi-seasonal and multi-year Landsat images. The study identifies significant vegetation indices for differentiation between existing native grassland and land, recently converted from native grassland to cultivated cropland, and shows that land conversion can be detected using a single image acquired during the growing season with highest accuracy achieved, using the difference in six between years, DVI, for the shortwave infrared reflectance three-halves ratio, SWIR 32, and the enhanced vegetation difference index, EVI, derived from July imagery. The method could be applied to detect land cover conversion in other grassland regions, but optimal VI's and image acquisition date may need to be modified depending on the type of land use activities implemented in each region. This article was authored by Xiaohuyang, and M. Smith, and Michael J. Hill. We are article.tv, links in the description below.