Forest cover and land use map of the Chunati Wildlife Sanctuary based on participatory mapping and satellite images: Insight into Chunati beat

Abstract

In developing countries like Bangladesh, rapid changes in forest area occurred due to illegal encroachment and it can be reduced with the help of local communities. Researchers have always considered urban expansion as a cause of deforestation, and that is not an exception for the Chunati beat forest. About 50 % of primary (natural) forests have been logged during last 20 years in the reserve. That’s why it becomes essential to assess forest cover to monitor and reduce forest degradation. This paper exhibits a research of forest cover and land use of the hilly area of the Chunati forest cover, Bangladesh by integrating participatory mapping, Geographic Information System (GIS) and remote sensing. The forest cover and land use map were produced by using a participatory mapping approach, where the several complex spatial features are marked and monitored with the help of spatial knowledge of local community and satellite images. The study also demonstrates the degradation of the Chunati forest and the conflicts between humans and nature. About 16 % of well stock forest of Chunati beat was degraded by illegal logging and encroachment inside the reserve forest which are the prime factors that need to be restricted. The Forest Department faced difficulties while carrying out restoration, as the forest area was not demarcated. The maps produced during this research estimate the total area encroached by anthropogenic activities. These maps can help policy makers to monitor the Chunati forest cover which will further help to implement land use policy and forest conservation.