Integrating remote sensing and traditional ecological knowledge to assess land use change and vegetation dynamics in semi-arid region

Land use and land cover (LULC) changes driven by urbanization and climate variability have significantly eroded traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) in Karak district, Pakistan. This study investigates the relationship between vegetation dynamics, assessed via Normalize Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) from Landsat images (1986–2017), and TEK loss across three tehsils: Karak, Takhte Nasrati, and Banda Daud Shah. Supervised classification in ArcGIS 10.5 and QGIS 2.18 revealed a marked decline in vegetation cover—from 8% to 4%, 6% to 3%, and 7% to 4%, respectively—while built-up and bare land are increasing. Field surveys and focus group discussions with local communities documented diminishing knowledge of wild plant uses, correlating with habitat loss. Spatial and statistical analyses (ArcGIS, SPSS) confirmed a significant negative correlation between vegetation degradation and TEK preservation. As the first integrative study in this semi-arid region, it underscores the coupled impacts of environmental and socio-cultural change. Findings highlight the urgency of embedding TEK into biodiversity conservation and sustainable land management policies. This approach provides a replicable framework for regions facing similar ecological and cultural transitions, advocating for science-TEK synergy to enhance ecosystem resilience and adaptive capacity in vulnerable landscapes.