Tracking the Role of Policies and Economic Factors in Driving the Forest Change Trajectories within the Guangdong-Hongkong-Macao Region of China: A Remote Sensing Perspective

Yuyang Xian, Yongquan Lu, Zipporah Musyimi and Guilin Liu
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Yuyang Xian: School of Geography, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510631, China
Yongquan Lu: School of Geography, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510631, China
Zipporah Musyimi: Department of Environmental Remote Sensing and Geoinformatics, University of Trier, 54286 Trier, Germany
Guilin Liu: School of Geography, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510631, China

Land, 2021, vol. 10, issue 1, 1-18

Abstract: Though forest ecosystems play a critical role in enhancing ecological, environmental, economic, and societal sustainability, on a global scale, their future outlooks are uncertain given the wide-ranging threats they are exposed to. The uniqueness of this study is to provide a line of evidence in which forest change trajectories are not only tracked but also evaluated through the lenses of forestry and economic oriented events’ timelines. The dynamics of forest change trajectories were mined using a temporal model. To understand the forces driving the changes, the change trajectories were linked to the timelines when forestry policies and economic factors where adopted. During 1980–1990, the forest change trajectory assumed a peak (forest gain). This was interpreted as a response to the adoption of policies that promoted ecological conservation. During 1995–2010, the forest change trajectories reflected the response to the antagonistic effects of forest-oriented policies and the economy-oriented drivers. During 2010–2015, the forest change trajectories assumed a deep (forest loss). This was attributed as a response to the economy-oriented factors. However, inferences from the results indicated that deforestation driven by economic factors was restricted by forest management policies. Though the role of economic factors has promoted developments within the study area, forest policies still constrain illegal logging and play a key role in protecting forests. We hope that insights from this study will inform, support and guide decisions for precise and smart sustainable forest management plans.

Keywords: forest change trajectories; spatial-temporal analysis; remote sensing; forest policy and economic factors; Guangdong-Hongkong-Macao (GHKM) (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q15 Q2 Q24 Q28 Q5 R14 R52 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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