Changes in agricultural landscape pattern and its spatial relationship with forestland in the State of Selangor, peninsular Malaysia

In Malaysia, the development of two major agricultural crops, i.e. oil palm and rubber, is one of the primary causes of forest loss. However, understanding of this relationship has not been quantified, which is vital to improve the planning and management of the agricultural land uses. To understand the relationship, this study addresses their dynamic change, patchiness and spatial relationship with forestland in the State of Selangor, Malaysia as a case study. Data development and analysis were based on three land-use maps of 1966, 1981 and 1995 where forest and, wetland forest and marshland land use categories were referred to as forestland. Two defined natural landscapes; forest and wetland landscapes were used as a basic unit of analysis to determine the patchiness of the agricultural lands at the expense of large tract of forestland. During the periods studied, oil palm area increased whereas rubber area reduced. The development of oil palm had caused loss much of forestland, particularly wetland forest and marshland. Its expansion at the expense of large tract of wetland forest and marshland earnestly occurred between 1966 and 1981 but slowed down between 1981 and 1995. By using the landscape type approach this study recommended a way to determine the patchiness of the agricultural lands at the expense of large tract of forestland. With these findings, we conclude that it is important to understanding the relationship quantitatively in order to describe the implications for land development of the agricultural crops.