Multi-temporal land use classification and change detection using remotely sensed imagery: The case of Hirpora Wildlife Sanctuary, Western Himalayas

One of the most prominent factors contributing to global landscape cover change is land use and land cover (LULC). Such changes are the outcome of several interrelated factors. This study assessed trends in land use and land cover within Hirpora from 1992 to 2006 and 2021 utilizing remote sensing data and satellite pictures from Landsat 5-TM in 1992, Landsat 7-enhanced TM in 2006, and Landsat 8-OLI in 2021. The images were analyzed using ArcGIS v10.1 and ERDAS Imagine v14. From 1992 to 2021, there was a substantial shift in land use trends in a few targeted classes, with snow cover losing the most (33.76%), followed by dense forests (6.80%), and economically grasslands (21.46%), barren/rocky (11.43%), and scrub (5.41%) gaining the most. During the observation period, moderately dense forests and build-up increased in area by 4.50 and 0.35%, respectively. Due to large-scale human intrusion and habitat fragmentation, the Hirpora Wildlife Sanctuary has swiftly transitioned from a natural to a cultural landscape. As part of the LULC change process, natural, demographic, and economic factors have impacted land and had environmental implications.