Journal of Environmental Biology

Assessment of forest encroachment at Belgaum district of Western Ghats of Karnataka using remote sensing and GIS     

 

G.R. Pramod Kumar, A.M. Hemanjali, P. Ravikumar, R.K. Somashekar* and B.C. Nagaraja

Department of Environmental Science, Bangalore University, Bangalore–560 056, India

*Corresponding Author E-mail: rksmadhu@gmail.com 

 

 

Publication Data

Paper received:

20 November 2012

 

Revised received:

08 April 2013

 

Accepted:

03 June 2013

 

 

Abstract

The present study focuses on the assessment of forest encroachment in Belgaum district of Karnataka for the year 1975, 1990, 2000 and 2010 using RS and GIS. The study area is located in the north-western part of Karnataka state, with a total area of 13,415 km².  The study revealed that the forest encroachment is 4245.6, 16133.1, 28304.4 and 29010.0 ha for the year 1975, 1990, 2000 and 2010 respectively. The extent of encroachment in 2010 amounted to 9.66 % in evergreen to semi evergreen, 15.84 % moist deciduous and 74.50 % in scrub forests.The highest percentage of encroachment was in Hukkeri taluk with mixed plantation and the major part was scrubland whose average encroached area was 31.38% over the years. The major factors accelerating encroachments were agricultural expansion, population dependency on forest livelihood, limited land for cultivation, lack of grazing land and poverty.

 

 Key words

Deforestation, Encroachment, Forest types, Western Ghats, Zonal classification

 

 

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