Multi-Decadal Forest-Cover Dynamics in the Tropical Realm: Past Trends and Policy Insights for Forest Conservation in Dry Zone of Sri Lanka
Article Multi-Decadal Forest-Cover Dynamics in the Tropical Realm: Past Trends and Policy Insights for Forest Conservation in Dry Zone of Sri Lanka Manjula Ranagalage 1,2,* , M. H. J. P. Gunarathna 3 , Thilina D. Surasinghe 4 , Dmslb Dissanayake 2 , Matamyo Simwanda 5 , Yuji Murayama 1 , Takehiro Morimoto 1 , Darius Phiri 5 , Vincent R. Nyirenda 6 , K. T. Premakantha 7 and Anura Sathurusinghe 7 1 Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba, 1-1-1, Tennodai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8572, Japan; mura@geoenv.tsukuba.ac.jp (Y.M.); tmrmt@geoenv.tsukuba.ac.jp (T.M.) 2 Department of Environmental Management, Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, Rajarata University of Sri Lanka, Mihintale 50300, Sri Lanka; dissanayakedmslb@gmail.com 3 Department of Agricultural Engineering and Soil Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Rajarata University of Sri Lanka, Anuradhapura 50000, Sri Lanka; janaka78@agri.rjt.ac.lk 4 Department of Biological Sciences, Bridgewater State University, Bridgewater, MA 02325, USA; tsurasinghe@bridgew.edu 5 Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, School of Natural Resources, Copperbelt University, P.O. Box 21692, Kitwe 10101, Zambia; matamyo@gmail.com (M.S.); dariusphiri@rocketmail.com (D.P.) 6 Department of Zoology and Aquatic Sciences, School of Natural Resources, Copperbelt University, Kitwe 10101, Zambia; vrnyirenda@hotmail.com 7 Forest Department, Ministry of Environment and Wildlife Resources, 82, Rajamalwatta Road, Battaramulla 10120, Sri Lanka; premakanthakt@gmail.com (K.T.P.); anura.sathurusinghe@gmail.com (A.S.) * Correspondence: manjularanagalage@gmail.com Received: 30 June 2020; Accepted: 28 July 2020; Published: 1 August 2020 Abstract: Forest-cover change has become an important topic in global biodiversity conservation in recent decades because of the high rates of forest loss in different parts of the world, especially in the tropical region.
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