Vol. 120 No. 1 (2026)
Research Papers

Monitoring Land Use and Land Cover Change in Eastern Nepal: a Remote Sensing Perspective on the Dudh Koshi River Watershed (2000–2020)

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  • Bibash Dhakal,
  • Nirvay Guragai,
  • Shobharam KC,
  • Ciro Apollonio,
  • Andrea Petroselli
Bibash Dhakal
Department of Agricultural Engineering, Institute of Engineering, Purwanchal Campus, Affiliated to Tribhuvan University, Dharan, Nepal.
Nirvay Guragai
Department of Agricultural Engineering, Institute of Engineering, Purwanchal Campus, Affiliated to Tribhuvan University, Dharan, Nepal.
Shobharam KC
Department of Agricultural Engineering, Institute of Engineering, Purwanchal Campus, Affiliated to Tribhuvan University, Dharan, Nepal.
Ciro Apollonio
Department of Agriculture and Forest Sciences (DAFNE), Tuscia University, 01100 Viterbo (VT), Italy.
Andrea Petroselli
Department of Agriculture and Forest Sciences (DAFNE), Tuscia University, 01100 Viterbo (VT), Italy.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.36253/jaeid-18392

Published 2026-06-29

Keywords

  • Land Use and Land Cover (LULC) Change,
  • Dudh Koshi Watershed,
  • Remote Sensing and GIS,
  • Climate Change Adaptation,
  • Participatory Governance

How to Cite

Dhakal, B., Guragai, N., KC, S., Apollonio, C., & Petroselli, A. (2026). Monitoring Land Use and Land Cover Change in Eastern Nepal: a Remote Sensing Perspective on the Dudh Koshi River Watershed (2000–2020). Journal of Agriculture and Environment for International Development (JAEID), 120(1), 191–208. https://doi.org/10.36253/jaeid-18392

Copyright (c) 2026 Bibash Dhakal, Nirvay Guragai, Shobharam KC, Ciro Apollonio, Andrea Petroselli

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

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Abstract

This study analyzes two decades (2000–2020) of Land Use and Land Cover (LULC) change in the Dudh Koshi River watershed, eastern Nepal—a climatically sensitive and topographically complex Himalayan region. Using multi-temporal satellite imagery and GIS-based analysis across eight sub-basins, we quantified changes in forest, rangeland, snow, bare ground, cropland, built-up areas, and water bodies. Key trends include glacial retreat (–0.9%), rangeland degradation (–2.4%), and a tripling of built-up land (+2.6%). Spatial patterns reflect elevation, road access, and proximity to settlements, while drivers include climate change, rural depopulation, and infrastructure expansion. These dynamics affect ecosystem services, water security, and rural livelihoods. Our findings underscore the need for integrated, community-engaged watershed management and call for future research using high-resolution data and socio-ecological frameworks to inform climate-resilient development in fragile mountain systems.

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