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An assessment of forest degradation in the Sonitpur East Forest division, Assam, India using object-based image analysis

Sujata Medhi,Kunal Chanda,Sourav Chetia,Anup Saikia,A. K. Bora

Published 2025 in Australian Geographer

ABSTRACT

ABSTRACT Forest ecosystems in Assam are increasingly threatened by anthropogenic activities, leading to significant forest degradation despite being granted protection by legislation. This study examined the extent of forest degradation in the Sonitpur East Forest division which includes the Behali Wildlife Sanctuary, Biswanath, Gohpur, Naduar and Singlijan Reserved Forests using object-based image analysis over 30 years (1990–2020). These analyses employed multi-resolution segmentation, spectral difference segmentation and a support vector machine classifier using Landsat imagery. The results revealed a significant decline in dense forest cover across the study area, except for Singlijan Reserved Forest. The most pronounced forest loss was observed in Biswanath Reserved Forest, followed by Gohpur and Naduar Reserved Forests and Behali Wildlife Sanctuary. Simultaneously, agricultural land and open forest areas expanded, with agricultural land in Gohpur Reserved Forest increasing by 60.28% at the expense of dense forest and barren land. These results underscore the crucial need for targeted conservation policies and sustainable land management practices to mitigate forest degradation. The application of remote sensing and object-based image analysis methodology offers a reliable framework for continuous forest monitoring supported by data-driven decision-making, facilitating effective conservation planning in northeastern India and other forested regions experiencing significant degradation.

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