Changes of Forest Landscape Based on Historical Management in Northeastern China

Forest landscape change and its driving forces are becoming the major issues in forest management. Comprehension of historical changes in landscape and forest management will provide valuable insights into current ecosystem and will support future forest management and restoration strategies. This paper focused on the changes in the forest landscape of Baihe Forestry bureau in northeastern China from 1987 to 2000. We used a Geographic Information System(GIS) to investigate the landscape pattern based on interpretation of satellite images and forest stand maps. Landscape metrics calculated using the FRAGSTATS software for spatial pattern analysis. The results showed that forest lands are the main landscape type occupied over 85% both in 1987 and 2000. The area of shrub thicket increased at the percentage of 10.7% . Patch density and edge density increased from 4.46 to 7.23 per 100 ha and from 40.46 to 133.64 m/ha, respectively. Forest landscape became more fragmented from 1987 to 2000. Patch density of sub-patch decreased while the patch density of forest lands increased in Baihe Forestry bureau within the research period. It showed the functional heterogeneity of forest lands landscape declined with the management. The number of age sub-patches, stock volume sub-patches and canopy density sub-patches and their patch spacing depended on the type of forest management. The conclusions were made that forest harvesting is the main driving force for the landscapes change in Baihe Forestry bureau. This study revealed the relationships among landscape change and human activities.It can provide scientific basis for forest management at landscapes scales.