ASSESSMENT AND MONITORING OF ESTUARINE MANGROVE FORESTS OF GOA USING SATELLITE REMOTE SENSING

The present study highlights the application of satellite remote sensing in the assessment and monitoring of the mangrove forests along the coastline in Goa state of India. Based on on-screen visual interpretation techniques various land use and land cover classes have been mapped and classified. An attempt has been made to analyse changes in the mangrove forest cover from 1994 to 2001 using IRS-IB LISS-II and IRS-1D LISS-III data. An increase in the mangrove vegetation in the important estuaries has been found during 1994 and 2001. During this period, the mangrove forest increased by 44.90 per cent as a result of increased protection and consequent regeneration. Plantation of mangrove species has been raised in 876 ha (1985 to 1997) by the State Forest Department.