The Western Ghats, which covers about 60 % of forest
area of Karnataka, is recognized as one of the bio-diversity
hotspots of the world. These forests are shrinking in recent
years due to anthropogenic pressures, especially encroachment of lands for agriculture. It has led to forest fragmentation, loss of habitat and corridor for movement of wild animals, etc. The present study focus on RS and GIS based assessment of forest encroachment scenario over a period of
three decades in Chikmagalur district of Karnataka using
Landsat TM/MSS of 1990 and 2000, and IRS P6 of 2010. It
is observed that the forest encroachment has considerably
increased from 0.98 % to 6.63 % between 1975 and 2010
and the majority of encroachment has taken place during
1990 and 2000. Higher encroachments prevailed in moist
and dry deciduous forest in the district. The information
maps generated out of this study will help will help the frontline forest officials to trace back and recover the encroached
forests besides preventing future encroachments