Land cover changes in tropical rain forest to support sustainable natural production forest management (SNPFM) in east Kalimantan, Indonesia
Two images Landsat-7 ETM+ acquired on 26
th August 2000 and Landsat-5 TM acquired on 12
th
April 1996 were used in this research. The methodology flowchart (Figure 2) explains the general methodology and
approach used in this research..Figure 1. Location of study area and the five-year plan (RKL) compartments
According to the Indonesian national forest management guidelines an average of 8 trees per hectare are
felled at 35-year interval. The forest management unit has been divided into seven five-years working plan
areas called RKL (Rencana Karya Limatahun) in local Indonesian language. Thus, the forest concession
land in this area divided into 7 RKLs. Each RKL divided into 5 years felling plan. By the end of the felling
cycle (35 years rotation) the logging company will start logging again in RKL 1, which was logged 35 years
earlier.
Results and Discussions
The color composites (Figure 3) of Landsat-5 TM image of 1996 and Landsat-7 ETM+ image of 2000 with
combinations of band 453 in RGB channels shows a comparative view of the land cover classes between
the two images. Two newly clear felled areas: one at northwest and another at northeast location of study
area for transmigration settlement can be seen. Part of the image of the year 2000 is covered by clouds,
which hide part of the transmigration area. These changes did happen after the moment of image
recording in the year 1996. The linear shape of the roads and sharp boundary between forest and the clear
felled area has formed a pattern that gives an impression of a settlement along with agricultural fields. In
these locations agricultural fields are without crops) at the time of data acquisition as the color is cyan. This
relates to the high reflectance in band 5 Middle Infrared (MIR) (here in green channel) and band 3 red
(here in blue channel) of Landsat TM from bare soil. The area of transmigration settlement at northwest is
found to be 567 ha and at northeast is 354 ha giving a total 921 ha which is about 1.11 % of the total area
of the forest management unit. The data is shown in Table 2 and the maps in Figure 4. These settlements
were established for the people transmigrated from other islands.
Table 2. New land cover classes with their respective areas producted between 1996-2000
| New land cover type |
Area change (ha) during 1996-2000 |
% Of total area |
Transmigration settl ement
Burnt for shifting cultivation |
921
341 |
0.40
1.11 |
| Clear felled for permanent agriculture |
163 |
0.20 |
| Total |
1425 |
1.71 |
