Forest canopy density mapping for natural resource management of Jangalmahal area, India, using geospatial technology

Forest cover is an important crucial role to a variety of scientific and land resource management applications. Many of these applications not only need information on forest categories, but also the information on tree canopy density should be considered. Due to the advancement in Remote sensing technology and availability of many sources of imagery and various digital classification techniques, forest canopy cover assessment has been readily accessible. The need of understanding the capability and limitations of various types of imagery and classification methods is essential. The management, development, and conservation of an area require vast knowledge of forest resources, its distribution and utilization pattern by its flora and fauna. But because of various reasons such as the development of population, increasingly changing forest to the other unsuitable applications such as agriculture, providing energy and fuel, millions of hectares from this natural resource are destroyed every year and the remaining surface change quantitatively and qualitatively. The rate of forest density should be investigated for the better management of forests. An overview of several remote sensing techniques has been used to assess the forest canopy cover. We have generated the FCD model by using Landsat 8 OLI image in an old growth forest of Paschim Medinipur sub- division of India.