5. Discussion
5.1. Landscape and patch configuration
These results clearly show that even within the protected area system the amount of montane evergreen
forest has been severely degraded as a result of agricultural activities. Within the selected landscapes in the
two sanctuaries, OK lost 5% and MT an astonishing
50% between 1954 and 1996. MT lost more than 10
times as much montane evergreen as did OK over
this time period. Fragmentation statistics show MT to
have a larger number of smaller patches remaining with
a total core area of only 5% of the landscape, almost
half of the 8% found in OK.