OJFOpen Journal of Forestry2163-0429Scientific Research Publishing10.4236/ojf.2014.42018OJF-43113ArticlesEarth&Environmental Sciences Analysis of Land Use and Land Cover Changes and Evaluation of Natural Generation and Potential Restoration Areas in the Mexican Huasteca Region armeloPeralta-Rivero1*CarlosContreras-Servín1MaríaG. Galindo-Mendoza1Jean-FrançoisMas Caussel2MarcosAlgara-Siller3Multidisciplinary Graduate Programme in Environmental Sciences, Autonomous University of San Luis/Coordination for Innovation and the Application of Science and Technology, San Luis Potosi, MexicoInstitute of Geography, National Autonomous University of Mexico, Morelia, MexicoMultidisciplinary Graduate Programme in Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Engineering, Environmental Engineering, Autonomous University of San Luis, San Luis Potosi, Mexico* E-mail:peralta.carmelo@gmail.com(AP);140220140402124135November 21st, 2013December 28th, 2013 January 19th, 2014© Copyright 2014 by authors and Scientific Research Publishing Inc. 2014This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution International License (CC BY). http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

This study aims to analyze temporal changes in land use and land cover change (LUCC) as well as identify areas for natural regeneration and potential areas for forest restoration in the Huasteca region for the period from 1976 to 2007. Changes were quantified in numbers and, additionally, cartography was used to identify and map the main affected areas. Different models based on Geographic Information Systems (GIS) demonstrated that LUCC have occurred on an area of 11718.82 km2, representing 17.84% of the region’s surface. Agriculture and the growth of pasture could be identified as the main human-induced activities that have led to landscape modification. In addition, forest cover is affected by a deforestation rate which is higher than the national average. Further important changes include a change from natural land cover to non-original land cover, affecting an area of 4911.88 km2 in the period from 1976-1993, and an area of 1892.5 km2 in the period from 1993-2002. Smaller changes could be observed for the period from 1993-2002 with an affected area of 1029.78 km2. At the same time, a natural regeneration from nonoriginal to original land cover took place from 1976-1993 on an area of 1318.68 km2, and also on an area of 974.18 km2 between 1993 an 2002. The surface that underwent a natural regeneration of forest cover made up 1932.07 km2. At the same time, an area of 5739.29 km2 for potential forest restoration was identified. Drawing on GIS methods and techniques, the development of thematic maps for land use, land use and land cover changes for the years of analysis (1976-1993-2002-2007) proved to be very adequate for the evaluation and analysis of the land cover and land use change, in particular with regard to the decrease of natural vegetation cover.

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