GRASSLAND MAPPING MONITORING OF BANNI, KACHCHH (GUJARAT) USING REMOTELY-SENSED DATA

In India 12.15 million ha of land, i.e., 3.7 per cent of the total geographical area, has been recorded as permanent pasture or grazing land. In recent years, the factors responsible for gradual loss of grassland are expanding agriculture, overstocking of domestic animals at a phenomenal rate and improper pasture and grazing land management. However, in an agriculture-based economy, like that of India, a judicious ratio has to be maintained amongst grasslands, croplands and forestlands, in order to obtain optimum results in socio-economic and ecological terms. The acquisition of sufficient and timely information on these resource components is of prime importance for judicious planning. Remote sensing data, which is now available at regular intervals, assumes a great significance. To understand the above-mentioned facts a pilot study has been conducted in the Banni grassland areas of the Kachchh district. Banni, at one time considered the largest grassland of its kind in Asia, has fallen upon sad times in the last decade. The main aim of this study is to standardize methodology for mapping and monitoring grassland through satellite data. This includes, identification of major problem areas, selection of proper season and scale. For knowing trends regarding the changing ecology of Banni areas, multi-temporal satellite data from the years 1980, 1985 and 1988 were used and the status of grassland spread, invasion of prosopis juliflora and salinity ingress were critically observed.