ASSESSMENT OF FOREST CHANGES IN NGHE AN PROVINCE FOR RISK DETERMINATION UNDER THE EUROPEAN UNION DEFORESTATION REGULATION
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.18173/2354-1059.2026-0037Keywords:
deforestation, forest degradation, forest change, European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), Nghe AnAbstract
Forest changes in Nghe An province were analyzed to support supply chain product traceability in compliance with the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) as well as to assess the risks and drivers of deforestation and forest degradation. Geographic Object-Based Image Analysis (GEOBIA) of remote sensing data, supported by documentary evidence and field surveys, was utilized to map forest cover status. Between 2020 and 2025, the natural forest area increased marginally, whereas the plantation forest area grew substantially, raising the overall forest cover rate from 58.5% to 59.16%. Deforestation, totaling nearly 800 hectares (0.19%), occurred mainly where poor forests and plantation forests were converted into agricultural land. Forest degradation affected 0.06% of natural forests, 4.16% of poor forests and 3.45% of plantation forests, driven by their conversion into plantation forests and shrubby grassland. Deforestation and forest degradation risks are driven and influenced by the following spatial factors: topography, cropland expansion, residential distribution, road networks, and forest tenure.
References
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