Mapping the Risk of Natural Resource Damage to Watersheds Associated with Wildland Fire and and Outbreak of the Southern Pine Beetle in Nueva Segovia, Nicaraqua

摘要

The risk of destruction to natural resources becomes much greater when several contributing conditions occur simultaneously. Such as the case when Hurricane Mitch hit parts of Central America in 1998. The combination of heavy rainfall, shallow soils, steep slopes and sparse vegetation in burned-over areas caused severe soil erosion and flooding in the hills and valleys of northern Nicaragua. Since that time additional risk factors including frequent fires and a severe infestation of the southern pine beetle have set the stage for another future disaster. The current evaluation is an attempt to identify the areas of greatest risk for another disaster using a combination of remote sensing and ground information. Risk maps were prepared from available data to show areas of greatest danger in Neuva Segovia. Hopefully this information will be used to prevent or reduce the severity of damage to valuable watershed in the future. This evaluation was conducted by the USDA Forest Service, the Institudto Nacional Forestal (INAFOR) and the Universidad Nacional Agaria (UNA).