| dc.description.abstract |
In India’s Western Ghats mountain range, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and Conservation
International biodiversity hotspot, human-caused habitat loss threatens many native
species. A number of protected areas have been created to provide a refuge for these
species and prevent further habitat loss. However, encroaching development continues
to threaten these delicate ecosystems. Despite the area’s environmental value, there
is no reliable, high-resolution land use land cover (LULC) map that would allow managers
to estimate the extent and distribution of development as well as habitat condition
and connectivity across the region. Using ASTER imagery, we conducted LULC classifications
of 6 protected areas and their surroundings (20 km buffers). Separate classifications
were conducted on Anshi-Dandeli National Park, Nagarahole and Bandipur National Parks,
BRT Wildlife Sanctuary, and Kudremukh and Bhadra Wildlife Sanctuaries, for a total
of four classification regions. We conducted both supervised maximum likelihood and
unsupervised ISODATA classifications. Accuracy of the supervised classifications was
higher than accuracy of the unsupervised classifications, with values ranging from
75.6-84.4%. Forest class accuracy ranged from 74% - 91%. We used the LULC classifications
to assess the amount of forest cover within the protected areas and in the 20 km surrounding
buffer. Within the classifications, 45-67% of the land is forested, while 17-35% of
the land has been cleared for human use. We also conducted pilot analyses of forest
fragmentation, patch connectivity, and human-affected areas in different parks. The
LULC maps will be used to help managers set conservation goals and establish land
use baselines for the region.
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