Assessment of Forest Cover and Forest Loss in the Senapati District of Manipur, India

Forest degradation is a worldwide phenomenon affecting directly or indirectly to the existent of mankind. An area of 3,952 million hectares is reported to be the total global forest cover, occupying 30 percent of land area, but the annual gross deforestation (between 2000 and 2005) took place at a pace of 12.9 million hectares which is considered as a serious concern [1]. Population and economic development lead to trade-offs between different land-use causing the disappearance of habitat to the thousands of animals. The forests are being diverted to non-forestry land uses so the forests today are more threatened than in the past. The Senapati being a hill district located in the northern part of the Manipur is bestowed with rich natural resources particularly its forest. Nevertheless, the rapid shrinking of forest cover has been observed during the past two decades. From the ecological points of view, such changes have brought significant transformation in the set-up of the local forest ecosystem and community well being. This paper intended to analyse the trend of forest cover as well as forest depletion in the district during the last 10 years (between 2005 and 2015) as the need for protection and conservation of forest is identified in the district. Further, this study also tries to outline the major factors responsible for the quick forest cover loss or degradation in the district.