A remotely sensed tracking of forest cover and associated temperature change in Margalla hills

Abstract

ABSTRACTWorldwide, forest degradation is a serious environmental issue, and in Pakistan, forest wealth is depleting at the highest rate in South Asia. To ensure sustainable development goals of environmental stewardship, social development and economic growth, a sound monitoring and regulatory mechanism is essential for tracking forest cover changes. This study aims to quantify the decline of forest reserves and associated temperature variations in a relatively unexplored biodiversity hotspot of Islamabad, Margalla Hills National Park (MHNP). Imagery acquired by Landsat TM (Thematic Mapper) for the year 1992, 2000 and 2011 are used to assess the spatial and temporal changes occurred over the last two decades (from 1992 to 2011). A robust hybrid-classification routine is implemented to monitor the changes in forest cover and ANOVA along with Tukey’s HSD (Honestly Significant Difference) test is used to test the significance of temperature variation associated with a shift in land cover classes. The results showed a significant growth in settlements, agricultural area and barren soil whereas water body, lower vegetation, scrub and pine forest are diminishing. In both decades, the temperature alteration associated with a change in land cover classes are statistically significant (confirmed by ANOVA and Tukey’s HSD tests) for most of the land use/land cover classes. Based on these findings, this study concludes that forests are dwindling at MHNP and the degrading condition of the forest is below par and necessitates the promotion of conservation practices to minimize ecological disturbances.