Integrated approach for understanding spatio-temporal changes in forest resource distribution in the central Himalaya

Abstract

Intense anthropogenic exploitation has altered distribution of forest resources. This change was analyzed using visual interpretation of satellite data of 1979, 1999 and 2009. Field and interactive social surveys were conducted to identify spatial trends in forest degradation and data were mapped on forest cover and land use maps. Perceptions of villagers were compiled in a pictorial representation to understand changes in forest resource distribution in central Himalaya from 1970 to 2010. Forested areas were subject to degradation and isolation due to loss of connecting forest stands. Species like Lantana camara and Eupatorium adenophorum invaded forest landscapes. Intensity of human pressure differed by forest type and elevation. An integrated approach is needed to monitor forest resource distribution and disturbance.

Keywords

characterization / forest / central Himalaya / integrated approach / distribution / spatio-temporal

References

[1] Badooni SK, Negi VS. Pant BR, Pant MC. Migration and changing socio-economic status of the central Himalaya: A case study. Glimpses of Central Himalaya: A Socio-Economic & Ecological Perspective — Part I. 1995, New Delhi: Radha Publications

[2] Butler RA. Diversities of Image — Rainforest Biodiversity. Mongabay. com — A Place Out of Time: Tropical Rainforests and the Perils They Face, 2006

[3] Di Castri F, Hadley M. Enhancing the credibility of ecology: Interacting along and across hierarchical scales. Geojournal, 1988, 17(1): 5-35.

[4] Farooque NA. Chadha. Nuclear Transhumance-a Practice at the Interphase of Sedantarism and Transhumance. Environmental Degradation in India. 1992, Jammu: Vinod Publishers, 83 96

[5] Flenley JR. The Equatorial Rainforests: A Geological History. 1979, London: Butterworths

[6] Gairola S, Joshi PK. Evaluation of Resource Utilization Pattern — Himalaya. 2008, Germany: VDM Verlag Dr Muller Aktiengesellschaft & Co KG

[7] Gaur RD, Silas RA, Purohit VP. Land use pattern and settlements in the Benu Valley in the Garhwal Himalayas. Mountain Research and Development, 1985, 5(3): 291-294.

[8] Gautam BR, Joshi PK. Land use land cover change in mountainous watersheds of in middle Himalayas, Nepal. Nepalese Journal on Geoinformatics, 2009, 8: 21-26.

[9] Horn SP, Sanford RL. Holocene fires in Costa Rica. Biotropica, 1992, 24(3): 354-361.

[10] ISFR. Indian State of Forest Report (ISFR) 2009. Forest Survey of India. 2009, Dehradun: MoEF, GOI, 199.

[11] Joshi PK, Gairoal S. Land cover dynamics in Garhwal Himalayas-a case study of Balkhila sub-watershed. Journal of the Indian Society of Remote Sensing, 2004, 32(2): 199-208.

[12] Joshi PK, Singh S, Agarwal S, Roy PS. Forest cover assessment in western Himalayas, Himachal Pradesh using IRS 1C/1D WiFS data. Current Science, 2001, 80(8): 941-947.

[13] Joshi PK, Yang X, Agarwal SP, Das KK, Roy PS. Impact of resource utilisation in lesser Himalayan watershed landscape ecological approach for watershed development and planning. Asian Journal of Geoinformatics, 2003, 3(4): 1-9.

[14] Kawosa MA. Remote Sensing of the Himalaya. 1988, Dehradun: Natraj Publishers

[15] Mayaux P, Holmgren P, Achard F, Eva H, Stibig H, Branthomme A. Tropical forest cover change in the 1990s and options for future monitoring. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 2005, 360: 373-384.

[16] Munsi M, Areendran G, Ghosh A, Joshi PK. Landscape Characterization of the forests of Himalayan foothills. Journal of Indian Society of Remote Sensing, 2010, 38(3): 441-452.

[17] Munsi M, Malaviya S, Oinam G, Joshi PK. A landscape approach for quantifying land use land cover change (1976–2006) in middle Himalaya. Regional Environmental Change, 2010, 10(2): 145-155.

[18] Murthy RS, Pandey S. Soil and Land Use in the Himalayan Region. 1978, New Delhi: National Bureau of Soil Survey and Land Use Planning

[19] Pangtey YPS, Joshi SC. Western Himalayas. Problems of Development. Vol. I & II. 1987, Nainital: Gyanodaya Prakashan

[20] Pant DN, Kharkwal SC. Monitoring land use changes and its impact on environment of central Himalaya using remote sensing and GIS techniques. Journal of Hill Research, 1995, 8(1): 1-8.

[21] Pant DN, Groten SME, Roy PS. Forest vegetation/landuse change detection and impact assessment in part of western Himalaya. International Archives of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing, 2000, XXXIII(PartB7): 1111-1118.

[22] Pant DN, Roy PS. Vegetation and land use analysis of Aglar Watershed using satellite remote sensing technique. Journal of the Indian Society of Remote Sensing, 1990, 18(4): 1-14.

[23] Pant DN, Roy PS. Analyzing forest cover and land use dynamics in central Himalaya using remote sensing and GIS. Proceedings of ISRS Silver Jubilee Symposium, 1994–1995, 1994 44 59

[24] Prabhakar R, Somanathan E, Mehta BS. How degraded are Himalayan forests?. Current Science, 2006, 91(1): 61-67.

[25] Rafieyan O, Gashasi J, Sani NA. Updating the land cover map using satellite data, in order to integrated management of natural resources. World Applied Sciences, 2008, 3(1): 48-55.

[26] Rai SC, Sharma E, Sundriyal RC. Conservation in the Sikkim Himalaya: traditional knowledge and land-use of the Mamlay watershed. Environmental Conservation, 1994, 21: 30-35.

[27] Rai SC. Land-use options in Sikkim Himalaya: an analysis from the Mamlay watershed of south district. Journal of Sustainable Agriculture, 1995, 6(2/3): 63-79.

[28] Rao KS, Pant R. Land use dynamics and landscape change pattern in a typical microwatershed in the mid elevation zone of central Himalaya, India. Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment, 2001, 86(2): 113-124.

[29] Rathore SKS, Singh SP, Singh JS, Tiwari AK. Changes in forest cover in Central Himalayan catchments: Inadequacy of assessment based on forest area alone. Journal of Environmental Management, 1997, 49: 265-276.

[30] Reddy CS, Rao KRM, Pattanaik C, Joshi PK. Assessment of Large-Scale Deforestation of Nawarangpur district, Orissa, India: a remote sensing based study. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, 2009, 154: 325-335.

[31] Roy PSR, Joshi PK. Forest Cover Assessment in northeast India-the potentials of temporal wide swath satellite data (IRS 1C-WiFS). International Journal of Remote Sensing, 2002, 23(22): 4881-4896.

[32] Sahai B, Kimothi MM. Remote sensing of Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve for biodiversity conservation. Proceedings of Seminar on biodiversity Conservation. 1994, India: WWF, 131 137

[33] Schroeder RF. Himalayan subsistence systems indigenous agriculture in rural Nepal. Mountain Research and Development, 1985, 5(1): 31-44.

[34] Shah SL. Ecological Degradation and the Future of Agriculture in the Himalaya: Aspects of change. Indian Journal of Agricultural Economics, 1982, 37(1): 1-22.

[35] Singh JS, Pandey U, Tiwari AK. Man and forest: a central Himalayan case study. Ambio, 1984, 13(2): 80-87.

[36] Singh JS, Tiwari AK, Saxena AK. Himalayan forests: a net source of carbon for the atmosphere. Environmental Conservation, 1985, 12(1): 67-69.

[37] Singh TV, Kaur J. Singh TV, Kaur J. Search of Holistic Tourism for the Himalaya. Integrated Mountain Development. 1985, New Delhi: Himalayan Books

[38] Stone L. Conservation and human resources: comments on four case studies from Nepal. Mountain Research and Development, 1990, 10(1): 5-6.

[39] Tiwari AK, Saxena AK, Singh JS. Singh JS. Inventory of forest biomass for Indian Central Himalayan. Environmental Regeneration in Himalayas; Concepts and Strategies. 1985, Nainital, India: Gyanodaya Prakash Nainital, 61 68

[40] Van Es E. A reconnaissance survey of the forest vegetation in the Doon Valley with the aid of Aerial Photographs. Indian Forester, 1972, 98(8): 503-506.

[41] Van Es E. Interpretation of the Forest Vegetation of the Doon Valley on ERTS-1 Imagery. ITC, 1974, 5: 550-554.

[42] Wakeel A, Rao KS, Maikhuri RK, Saxena KG. Forest management and land-use/cover changes in a typical micro watershed in the mid-elevation zone of Central Himalaya, India. Forest Ecology and Management, 2005, 213: 229-242.

[43] Weng Q. Land use change analysis in the Zhujiang Delta of China using satellite remote sensing, GIS and stochastic modeling. Journal of Environmental Management, 2002, 64(3): 273-284.

[44] Yu HY, Joshi PK, Das KK, Chauniyal DD, Melick DR, Yang X, Xu J. Land use/cover changes and environmental vulnerability analysis in Birahi Ganga sub-watershed of the Garhwal Himalaya, India. Tropical Ecology, 2007, 48(2): 241-250.