Assessment of forest change in a rural district using satellite imagery: A case study in Loc Ninh, Binh Phuoc Province, Vietnam

Forests play a crucial role in preserving the living environment for humans, but their area is increasingly shrinking under the influence of socio-economic development. This study presents the results of applying remote sensing and GIS to assess forest resource changes in a rural district - Loc Ninh, Binh Phuoc Province, Vietnam. The study used Landsat 5 TM and Landsat 8 OLI images and processed them using ENVI 4.7 and ArcGIS Desktop 10.7 software to create forest distribution maps for the periods 2000, 2010, and 2020. The research results show that the forest area in Loc Ninh rural district experienced significant changes during the 2000-2020 period. The total forest area lost was over 13.4% (8824 ha) compared to 2000. The reasons are explained by the pressure of rapid population growth, remnants of shifting cultivation practices, as well as the consequences of land use conversion and expansion for production purposes. The research results provide valuable reference materials for forest management and protection in Loc Ninh rural district, Vietnam.