Uttara Kannada District- Introduction 2013
Uttara Kannada District- Introduction 2013 LAND USE CHANGES WITH THE IMPLEMENTATION OF DEVELOPMENTAL PROJECTS IN UTTARA KANNADA DISTRICT Summary: Forest ecosystems in Uttara Kannada district have witnessed major transformations during the post-independence. Uttara Kannada district has the distinction of having highest forest cover among all districts of Karnataka. Land use analysis using temporal remote sensing data reveal distressing trend of deforestation in the district, evident from the reduction of evergreen - semi evergreen forest cover from 67.73% (1973) to 32.08% (2013). Taluk-wise analyses reveal similar trend for evergreen - semi evergreen forest cover during 1973 to 2013; Ankola (75.66 to 55.33%), Bhatkal (61.37 to 30.38%), Honnavar (70.63 to 35.71%), Karwar (72.26 to 59.70%), Kumta (62.89 to 29.38%), Siddapur (71.42 to 23.68), Sirsi (64.89 to 16.78), Supa (93.56 to 58.55%), Yellapur (75.28 to 18.98%), Haliyal (35.45 to 2.59%), Mundgod (2063 to 1.52). Forest cover has declined from 81.75 (1973) to 60.98% (2013) in the coastal zone, 91.45 (1973) to 59.14% (2013) in the Sahyadrian interior, and 69.26 (1973) to 16.76% (2013) in plains zone. Implementation of developmental activities without taking into account the ecological significance of ecosystems, services provided by them in meeting the livelihood of local population has resulted in the degradation of forests. These changes in the landscape structure (through large scale land use changes) have altered functional abilities of an ecosystem evident from lowered hydrological yield, disappearing perennial streams, higher instances of human –animal conflicts, declined ecosystem goods, etc.
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