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Persistent loss of biologically-rich tropical forests in the Indian Eastern Himalaya

Chintan Sheth, Aparajita Datta, Devathi Parashuram
doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/827360
Chintan Sheth
1National Centre for Biological Sciences, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Bellary Road, Bangalore 560065, Karnataka, India
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Aparajita Datta
2Nature Conservation Foundation, 1311, “Amritha”, 12th Main, Vijayanagar 1st Stage, Mysore 570017, Karnataka, India
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  • For correspondence: aparajita@ncf-india.org
Devathi Parashuram
2Nature Conservation Foundation, 1311, “Amritha”, 12th Main, Vijayanagar 1st Stage, Mysore 570017, Karnataka, India
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Abstract

Deforestation is a major cause of biodiversity loss in Asia. India’s biologically-diverse state of Arunachal Pradesh has been undergoing forest loss due to multiple drivers. We assessed the change in forest cover in a state-managed Reserved Forest adjoining an important Protected Area (PA), i.e. the Pakke Tiger Reserve using satellite imagery at a fine spatial resolution. A conservation program to protect three species of endangered hornbills and their nesting habitat outside the PA had been set up in 2011-12. We assessed the effectiveness of the conservation programme in protecting forests. We report a loss of 32 km2 of forest cover between 2013 and 2017 with a 5% decline in total forest area in four years. In the habitat around the 29 hornbill nest trees we estimated a loss of 35% of forest cover. This loss occurred despite varied efforts through the conservation program and by individuals in the community/government. We identify illegal logging (despite a ban by the Supreme Court of India) as the main driver that is depleting forest cover within this important area. Our results highlight the ongoing threats to biologically-rich forests and the need for urgent measures to halt this loss. We suggest that this study has general practical implications for the governance of non-PA state-managed forests in Arunachal Pradesh. The ongoing deforestation appears to be due to organized crime, institutional inadequacy from a combination of limited resources, bureaucratic apathy, and/or ambiguity in use and ownership of forest land compared to other community forests which appear to have robust governance systems.

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Posted November 12, 2019.
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Persistent loss of biologically-rich tropical forests in the Indian Eastern Himalaya
Chintan Sheth, Aparajita Datta, Devathi Parashuram
bioRxiv 827360; doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/827360
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Persistent loss of biologically-rich tropical forests in the Indian Eastern Himalaya
Chintan Sheth, Aparajita Datta, Devathi Parashuram
bioRxiv 827360; doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/827360

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