Forest Cover Assessment and Trend (1970s to 2001) in Central India Using Remote Sensing and GIS

Forest cover assessment in India is being carried out using satellite remote sensing for more than two decades. However, the classification system, scale and methodology make it difficult to collate this information at regional scale. In the present study an attempt has been made to map forest cover of Central India on 1 : 50000 scale using satellite data of 1970s. Landsat MSS data of 1970s has been used for mapping through systematic sampling. The area calculated in sampling grids of size 5'x 5' has been extrapolated to the whole area. The total forest cover of the zone through extrapolation in 1970s was 1,03,655.79 km². This attempt to assess the forest cover of Central India Zone has been an initiative of getting to know about the past. It gives an estimate of the forest lost or gained within the biogeographical Zone. While compiling the data of forest cover (from 1991- 2001) of the Central India Zone from Forest Survey of India, the apex body of forest monitoring in India and comparing it with the area calculated form the present study, it has been realized that there is no regular trend in the forest cover percentage from 1970s till 2001.