Spatial analysis of land cover changes in mangrove and peatland forests in North Sumatra, Indonesia

Abstract

Abstract Forest management in Indonesia can be observed through land cover change as a macro indicator for forest loss or gains. In order to have a clear understanding of the trend of the land cover change in peatland and mangroves, we conduct the land cover change analysis using the last decadal or 10-year period. The land typologies used as analysis units are peat and mangrove ecosystem. The research area is located in North Sumatra Province, occupying a peat area of 50,089.9 ha and mangrove area of 86,907 ha. The spatial analysis includes land cover maps overlay and classification using GIS. The 2012-2022 analysis results indicate a trend of an increase in peat reforestation by 819.6 ha and deforestation by 5,043.5 ha, while the trend of mangrove reforestation increased by 12,801.5 ha and deforestation by 4,669.5 ha. Land cover changes in the peatland are predominantly derived due to conversion of plantation to secondary swamp forest and conversion of secondary swamp forest to bare land. In the mangrove ecosystem land cover changes are mainly derived due to the regrowth of shrubs to secondary mangrove forests and due to conversion or degradation of secondary mangrove forests to shrubs.