Land Use/Cover Change

Forest land use change at Trans-Boundary Laos-China Biodiversity Conservation Area

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  • 1. Land Resource Department, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310029, China;
    2. Tea Research Institute, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310029, China;
    3. Lao Government Secretary Board Office, Prime Minister Office, Lao PDR

Received date: 2009-11-14

  Revised date: 2010-03-25

  Online published: 2010-12-15

Abstract

This paper analyzed forest land use change in Trans-Boundary Laos–China Biodiversity Conservation Area which is called Namha National Biodiversity Conservation Areas (Namha NBCAs), with 1992 and 2002 TM (ETM). Based on GIS and statistical methods, the intensity, state index of land use change and transfer matrix were used to study spatio- temporal land use change in the region. The results showed that the area of forest land decreased greatly, also the area of bamboo and grassland decreased. The other way round, the area of unstocked forest, slash and burn and rice paddy land increased. As a whole, the intensity of forest land change was higher, but others were lower. From the transfer matrix, most of the forest land changed into unstocked forest and urban area, some to slash and burn. The grassland and bamboo were mainly transferred to forest and unstocked forest. The unstocked forest land mostly came from forest land and grassland. It was showed there were three main causes of the land use change namely: opium poppy cultivation, rubber plantation and also ecotourism activities and finally some policies were developed in order to address the land use change in the study areas.

Cite this article

HEMMAVANH Chanhda, YE Yanmei, YOSHIDA A . Forest land use change at Trans-Boundary Laos-China Biodiversity Conservation Area[J]. Journal of Geographical Sciences, 2010 , 20(6) : 889 -898 . DOI: 10.1007/s11442-010-0818-1

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