Analysing the trends in annual forest loss hotspots in the regional landscape of Eastern Ghats, India

Abstract

Tropical deforestation is one of the widely recognised human-induced factors responsible for climate change. A clear understanding of the trends in forest cover loss hotspots provide baseline information for sustainable forest management. This study has utilised Landsat data and a novel spatial pattern mining tool to identify trends in forest cover loss from 2009 to 2020 in the Araku range of Eastern Ghats, India. This study focuses on identifying the annual rate of deforestation and significant trends in forest cover loss through statistical techniques. Analysis indicates no significant trend in forest loss (P = 0.7 and the trend statistic was Z = 0.27; S = 5) during the study period. Disturbances in the forest cover are mainly attributed to shifting cultivation in the study area. The Emerging hotspot model has found new and sporadic hotspots in the Araku range. However, there are no intensifying hotspots, historical hotspots and persistent hotspots indicate effective management in the majority of the study area. This study helps to identify and prioritise deforested areas for monitoring and preparing appropriate conservation plans and management strategies.