Spatial GIS database for adaptive grassland management in Dudhwa National Park, India

摘要

Ecologically important tall grasslands of Dudhwa National Park (DNP) in Northern India are being threatened by various natural and biotic factors including varying grassland burning regimes viz. cut and burn; harrowed and bum, or only burn adopted bymanagement for their maintenance (De 2001). Uncertainty regarding resultant grassland composition and disturbance to grassland obligate species prompted the management and scientific communities concerned to develop an adaptive management strategy for long term conservation goals (Chadden et al. 2004). In view of this, the present study attempted to develop comprehensive GIS (Geographic Information System) spatial database and associated hard copy maps of park at the scale of 1:25,000, to support fieldpractitioners for successful implementation of proposed Adaptive Grassland Management.