Energy & Wetlands Research Group, Centre for Ecological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore – 560012, INDIA.
*Corresponding author: cestvr@ces.iisc.ernet.in

Conclusion

The land cover analysis of Uttar kannada revealed an increase in the non vegetation area from 2.76% (1979) to 16.66% (2013) with substantial decrease in the vegetation from 97.24% to 83.34%. The analysis of land use dynamics revealed the loss of evergreen forest from 1979 to 2013. The forest transition showed that evergreen forest cover has decreased from 57.15 % (1979) to 32.52% (2013) whereas agriculture land as well as built-up area has increased. The rate change analysis of land use showed that the rate of evergreen forest loss has increased from 1.50% (1979-1999) to 1.88% (1999-2013). It also exposed that the rate of increase in the built up and agriculture land has decreased from 4.33% & 1.58% (1979-1999) to 2.17% & 0.19% (1999-2013) respectively.
Forest fragmentation model showed that interior forest has declined from 51.83% to 25.63% (from 1979 to 2013) i.e. 26.20% of interior forest has been lost during this time period . Patch forest which was only 0.76% in 1979 has increased up to 2.98% in 2013. The analysis showed an increase in non-forest area from 24.57% to 45.75% during this time period which is of major concern as it shows the rate at which forest area is lost in the district which is directly related to biodiversity loss. Large scale land cover changes involving the conversion of forests into other land use categories are one of the primary drivers of climate changes and biodiversity loss. The study carried out on forest encroachment in this area showed that the moist deciduous forest followed by Semi evergreen to evergreen forest experience the major threat from encroachment whereas the dry deciduous forest present in only two taluks of the district namely Haliyal and Yellapur is heading towards its complete eradication. Sirsi and Honnavar taluks are the regions where there is maximum forest encroachment as compared to other taluks of the district with 3641.66 ha and1851.94 ha of forest land encroached respectively.