GIS BASED SHIFTING CULTIVATION

Abstract

Forests, the first and foremost occupants of this planet, are one of the most important renewable resources of inestimable value to the people, in as much as they protect and preserve the physical features, prevent floods, and check the flow of sub soil water and thus help to maintain the productivity of the cultivated land. After independence, forests occupied about a fifth of the geographical area of India. With the increasing population pressure and demands on lands for development projects, as those of power, irrigation, rail and road communications, industries, new housing colonies and townships, there is a little space for development of forest area. The main problem is deforestation. The deforestation is happening due to many reasons. One. reason for this is the man's greed, exponential population growth, increasing living standards, industrialization and other developmental activities. Some local methods of cultivation also cause this problem. The tribals, who mostly depend on the forests for their livelihood, are practicing different types of cultivation. Shifting Cultivation is one such type, which is prevalent among them. It is mainly practiced in hilly areas. It will occur at a particular place at a time period of 3 to 4 years. It is difficult to get the details of area at which the Shifting Cultivation is happening on toposheets. The toposheets are prepared at a large time span, so that with the help of them it will not give any clear details. Now-a-days, the data for a particular area is available in less time and at a particular interval, with the help of satellite images. For delineation and further inference