| Title | Population dynamics and land use in the Yarsha Khola watershed |
| Publication Type | Proceedings Article |
| Year of Publication | 2000 |
| Authors | Shrestha, B |
| Conference Name | The people and resource dynamics project: the first three years (1996-1999). Proceedings of a Workshop held in Baoshan, Yunnan Province, China, March 2-5, 1999 |
| Pagination | 75-83 |
| Keywords | Alnus nepalensis, mixed broadleaf forest, pine |
| Abstract | Aerial photographs were used together with intensive field verification and geographical information system (GIS) overlay techniques to quantify the population and land use dynamics in the Yarsha Khola watershed, Nepal, between 1961 and 1996. The population in the watershed more than doubled over the period. This represents an average annual growth rate of 2.6%, higher than the national average. The changes in land use as derived from GIS analysis showed that the forest area increased between 1981 and 1996 at the expense of rainfed agricultural land and shrub land. The forests were dominated by mixed broadleaf forest (43%), followed by pine (31%) and Alnus Nepalensis (22%). However, the forest quality was relatively poor with 70% of all forest having less than 30% crown cover and 72%of the forest being immature. |