Spatio-Temporal Assessment of Deforestation Scenarios and Their Management Strategies Using Geographic Information System in Seven Sister States of Northeast India

The seven sister states in the northeastern region of India are responsible for a large portion of the country’s forest degradation. One-fourth of India’s total forest cover is found in the Northeast. It is equally significant as the Amazon rainforest, which has a big impact on the global climate. Tribes predominate in the northeast, where shifting farming is common. Due to population pressure, this approach is no longer viable for this location, as the jhum cycle is decreasing and there is no possibility of forest land recovery. In the past, it was viable for the high jhum cycle. Apart from population pressure from shifting farming, urbanization, development, smuggling, fuelwood extraction, forest fires, and forest-based industries, forest degradation is also driven by illegal logging, overgrazing, mining, encroachment, and climate change impacts. They are to blame for the area’s deforestation. Additionally, this region is impacted by soil erosion, flash floods, siltation load, climate change, higher-than-normal temperatures, a lack of regular rainfall, and biodiversity loss because of extensive deforestation. We must reach our goal of 33% forest area soon if all policies are applied correctly and people are mindful of their livelihood. This study discusses the current deforestation trend, the several causes of deforestation, and the effects of deforestation on the Northeastern seven sister states.