Spatial patterns and processes for shifting cultivation landscape in Garo Hills, India.

Ashish Kumar; Bruce G. Marcot; P.S. Roy

Treesearch

Spatial patterns and processes for shifting cultivation landscape in Garo Hills, India.

Informally Refereed

Authors:

Ashish Kumar, Bruce G. Marcot, P.S. Roy

Year:

2006

Type:

Scientific Journal

Station:

Pacific Northwest Research Station

Source:

In: Lafortezza, R.; Sanesi, G., eds. Patterns and processes in forest landscapes. Consequences of Human Management. Proceedings of the 4th Meeting of IUFRO Working Party 8.01.03, Sept. 26-29, 2006, Locorotondo, Bari, Italy. Firenze [Florence] : Accademia Italiana di Scienze Forestali, c2006. p. 63-70

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Abstract

We analyzed a few spatial patterns and processes of a shifting cultivation landscape in the Garo Hills of Meghalaya state in North East India, where about 85% of land belongs to native community. The landscape comprised 2459 km² of land with forest cover and shifting cultivation patches over 69% and 7% area of landscape, respectively. The mean patch sizes ± standard deviations for forest cover and shifting cultivation patches were 0.17 ± 1.86 km² and 0.03 ± 0.04 km², respectively. The low fragmentation areas between adjacent PAS and RFs were identified as potential wildlife (elephant) habitat corridors and the Core Area (CA) model revealed 591 patches that held 1468 km² area inside 500m from nearest edge of patches. Landscape with > 40% of forest cover and < 30% of current or abundant jhum cover with

Keywords

shifting cultivation or jhumming, forest fragmentation, wildlife habitat corridors, protected area network and elephant habitat relationship

Citation

Kumar, Ashish; Marcot, Bruce G.; Roy, P.S. 2006. Spatial patterns and processes for shifting cultivation landscape in Garo Hills, India. In: Lafortezza, R.; Sanesi, G., eds. Patterns and processes in forest landscapes. Consequences of Human Management. Proceedings of the 4th Meeting of IUFRO Working Party 8.01.03, Sept. 26-29, 2006, Locorotondo, Bari, Italy. Firenze [Florence] : Accademia Italiana di Scienze Forestali, c2006. p. 63-70