PEOPLE WITHIN PARK: FOREST COVER DYNAMICS AND MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES IN DIBRU-SAIKHOWA NATIONAL PARK, INDIARekib AhmedAbstract In India, forest conservation goes synergistically with human welfare, as millions of people live within protected areas and relies upon forests products, and many ecologically sensitive forest areas were declared as protected areas. Based on the analysis of multi date remote sensing satellite imagery data, the extent of forest degradation within the Dibru-Saikhowa national park have been quantified. The study revealed that the remote sensing and GIS technology are more suitable tools to map, monitor and manage the forest resources. Statistics derived through forest canopy model (FCD) revealed that most of the changes in forestcover in the park occurred in dense forest, moderately dense forest and non-forest categories during the period 1988â2018. Presence of two forest villages in the core area, viz. Laika and Dadhia, habitat destruction through expansion of agriculture, logging, clearance for settlement, and floods are major threats to the forested area of Dibru-Saikhowa. Restoring the integrity of dwindling forest cover in the park is being an urgent priority for current conservation efforts to halt the ongoing biodiversity crisis. |