Changes in Land Use and Land Cover in and around the Bhimashankar Wildlife Sanctuary, Western Ghats, India

In this study we identify regions of and quantify the extent of change in forest cover and other land use and land cover features in and around the Bhimashankar Wildlife Sanctuary in the Western Ghats of India. We document changes in land use and land cover over long timescales—decadal, from 1991 to 2011 and over short timescales—yearly, from 2009 to 2011 using satellite derived remotely sensed data. Broadly speaking, the term “remote sensing” can be defined as the “science and art of obtaining information about an object, area, or phenomenon through the analysis of data acquired by a device that is not in contact with the object, area, or phenomenon under investigation” (Lillesand and Kiefer 2008). Remotely sensed satellite data is especially useful in recognizing large scale spatial features. Comparative analyses of the region at different times using such data allows one to document changes in land use and land cover over time and is especially useful in studies such as this where we quantify changes in the forest cover in and around the Bhimashankar Wildlife Sanctuary. 

Rahul Chopra and Sanjana Singh

Environmental Studies Program, Foundation For Liberal and Management Education, Pune