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Using Geospatial Technology for the Assessment of Forest Cover Change in Lowland Namtan Watershed, Sayaboury, Lao People's Democratic Republic
Dissertation Abstract:
The study used geospatial technology in the assessment of forest cover/land use change in lowland Namtan watershed, Sayaboury, Lao People’s Democratic Republic to describe the biophysical and socioeconomic drivers of change. Specifically, the study aimed to (1) assess the physical and biological features of forest cover, (2) assess the socioeconomic conditions especially on forest administration situation, shifting cultivation, and other factors affecting forest cover and land use, and (3) identify factors affecting forest cover and land use.
The Namtan watershed is pear-shaped with elevation ranging from 340 to 1,320 m and an approximate area of 174.5 km2. The mean slope is 32 percent and characterized by wet and dry monsoon tropical climate. The rainfall is about 1,320.9 mm with 92.55 percent falling during the rainy season. The mean temperature is about 25.9°C and humidity is about 75 percent. Soil is clay-sandy loam with moderate depth and yellowfish red to brown. The drainage density is about 60.08 m2/ha. It is covered mainly by mixed deciduous forest. Shifting cultivation and rice paddies are present inside the watershed.
Forest accretion in the Namtan watershed area was considerable at 5,785 ha or 33.14 percent of the total area. Intra-forest shifts were also noticeable--evergreen forest to mixed deciduous forest, 797 ha or 4.56 percent; evergreen forest to understocked forest, 688 ha or 3.94 percent; mixed deciduous forest to unstock forest, 2,881 ha or 16.51 percent; unstocked forest to shifting cultivation, 22 ha; unstocked forest to rice paddy, 4 ha; unstocked forest to grassland, 9.7 ha; and unstocked forest to mixed deciduous forest, 1,329 ha or 7.62 percent.
For a time, forest cover loss, especially evergreen forest was attributed to an increase in the demand for materials for house construction. However, the increase in shifting cultivation, albeit small, can be attributed to increase in population. To address further forest cover loss, local authorities instituted a program on plantation establishment. At the national level, a forest and land use allocation program was instituted by the Lao government.
The geographic information system (GIS)-based grid assessment could provide information about forest cover variable and the nature of transformation of forest cover. This dataset would be a valuable guide for formulating appropriate policies and effective implementation of programs for forest and land/natural resources allocation and the wider aspects of management. Local authorities can integrate such results of spatial features and data for their management tools and thus contribute to efforts toward sustainable forest and natural resources management.
