A remote sensing perspective on the impact of Shifting Cultivation (Jhum) on the forest structure in Northern Karbi Anglong, Assam, India

The landscape of the Karbi Anlong hills (State of Assam, India), located south of the Kaziranga National Park, is shaped by small - scale farmers of the Karbi tribe. They traditionally practice Jhum (Shifting cultivation) cultivation of upland rice and have started to cultivate perennial cash crops such as bamboo, tea and rubber to improve their livelihoods. The forests of the Karbi Anglong hills also provide a crucial habitat for many flagship species, such as the Indian Rhinoceros (Rhinoceros unicornis) and Bengal Tiger (Panthera tigris) during the monsoon months, while the Brahmaputra river floods the plains of the Kaziranga National Park. Analyzing the historical changes in the landscape is a necessary first step to understand the forces driving land use and land cover change in the greater Kaziranga - Karbi Anglong ecosystem. This information can then be used to identify practices, understand drivers and design management interventions and policies, as part of an integrated landscape approach. Prior to classifying the forests of Northern Karbi Anglong, a succession and landscape dynamic model of this region was designed. Based on the system knowledge gained, an object - oriented year - by - year time series analysis with Landsat images of the forests of Northern Karbi Anglong from 1988 to 2015 was conducted. Our results show that no increase of Jhum cultivation per year has occurred, whereas the total area affected increased, most likely due to the establishment of new settlements. Furthermore, pressure on the forests beyond the wildlife corridors could be confirmed, whereas degradation has occurred locally and in small patches. In awareness of the current political situation, the results of our study highlight the importance of a target - oriented collaborative approach between different stakeholder in managing this landscape for wildlife and sustainable livelihoods. (Résumé d'auteur