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

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.