Application of remote sensing and GIS for monitoring forest land use change in Phu Luang Wildlife Sanctuary: Final report

Objectives of this study were to establish GIS database essential to wildlife sanctuary management, to apply remote sensing data in the monitor of changes in land useto model suitable habitats and to analyze socio-economic information concerned. The study area, Phuluang Wildlife Sanctuary. (PLWS) Is located in Loei province, and cover an area of about 560,593 rais. This project is divided into 4 parts according to the nature of works and issues: GIS Forest change/remote sensing, models of suitable wildlife habitats and socio-economic information. Database establishment of the information collected was performed, this included spatial data and its associated attribute. The results obtained indicate a significant change of forest acreage between 1976-1998. The depletion in forest area by type from 1976 to 1888 was 50.72 percent. 47.08 percent and 8.37 percent for the dry evergreen, the dry dipterocarp and the hill evergreen respectively. Habitat suitability model for 9 wildlife species relevant to the PLWS was identified. The component models include forest type, topography, water source, salt lick and distance from human activity centres. Overlay analysis of these components using GIS provides identifying the most suitable and moderately suitable habitats. The most suitable areas are accounted 7.73 percent 7.24 percent, 1.71 percent and 1.36 for silver Pheasant, white-handed Gibbon Asiatic Black Bear and Red Dog respectively. The most suitable habitat for the rest species cover a small extent. Socio-economic analysis revealed that the majority of population (GT 70 percent) in the PLWS and 5 km buffer zone are engaged in agriculture. Farm and non-farm incomes were annually accounted for 63,337 baht/household. Over 80 percent of the households have a significant debt. Regarding the potential future landuse, illegal use of forest land for a number of reasons is a major cause of forest area depletion. Protection and conservation measures are major issues to be considered. The vas textent of the PLWS and a limited number of protection officials may have significant effects on the decrease of the forest area and wildlife species as well.