English (United Kingdom)

https://curated-unify.zendy.io/wp-json/zendy-region/v1/featured_content/oa?rat=en

https://curated-unify.zendy.io/wp-json/zendy-region/v1/highlighted_journal/

Global: Zendy Plus annual

Presents the access of premium content as premium feature

Premium Content

Presents the keyphrase highlighting as premium feature

Keyphrase Highlighting

Presents the summarisation as premium feature

Summarisation

Insights

Presents the pdf analysis as premium feature

PDF Analysis

Presents the zaia usage as premium feature

ZAIA

Global: Zendy Plus monthly

Global: Zendy Tools annual

Global: Zendy Tools monthly

Global: Zendy Free Plan

There has been a large amount of slash and burn agricultural activity from ancient times in Northern Laos. This study focuses the environmental impact of slash and burn on the forest ecology by mean of spatial and temporal analysis of high resolution satellite data. A Geographic Information System (GIS) was also used for analyzing the relationship between the slash and burn and forest vegetation, topography and social factors. Then, the sustainability of slash and burn was examined by the ecological analysis of the shifting pattern and fallow duration derived from the image interpretation. As a result of study, a total of 89, 000 ha of slash and burn fields within 172, 000 ha of fallow lands were detected during the past 10 years. Although the recent increase of population pressure caused an expansion of slash and burn fields (11, 000 ha in 1987 to 19, 000 ha in 1997), most parts (80%) of those fields are still maintaining the traditional conditions of having more than 7 years fallow duration. It can be said that such slash and burn is sustainable because of its ecologically balanced cycle of cultivation. Based on the analysis, it is concluded that slash and burn agriculture is not always a cause of environmental deterioration in the study area. More important is the introduction of a well managed methodology of forest resources for future sustainable development. In this sense, it can be recommended that remote sensing and GIS technology play a more important role in the monitoring of slash and burn agricultural practices.

Slash and Burn Monitoring using Temporal High Resolution Satellite Data in Northern Laos.