Analysis of forest cover loss in three regions of the state of Chiapas, Mexico

Introduction In recent years, forest cover in the state of Chiapas, Mexico, has been threatened by anthropogenic activities such as agriculture and the establishment of exotic species plantations. Objective To determine forest cover loss through a multitemporal analysis for the period 1995–2022 in the Istmo-Costa, Maya, and Lacandon Jungle regions of Chiapas. Materials and methods Land cover and land use changes were detected through supervised classification of orthophotos and satellite images using QGIS software, and changes between periods were calculated using cross-tabulation. Agreement and accuracy were assessed using the Kappa index. The annual deforestation rate was also calcúlate by vegetation type. Results Between 1995 and 2022, the Lacandon Jungle was the most affected area in terms of vegetation loss and modification, with 196 522.59 ha impacted, followed by the Maya region with 90 018.18 ha, and the Istmo-Costa region with 87 510.16 ha. The tropical rainforest accounted for 48.19 % (180 264.29 ha) of the total vegetation cover loss across the three regions, followed by grassland with 32.61 % (121 985.82 ha), and cloud forest with 7.92 % (29 615.43 ha). The deforestation rate for the 1995–2022 period indicates that the ecosystems most severely impacted by vegetation loss were cattail marshes (tular) and savannas. Conclusions Forest cover loss is primarily driven by agricultural expansion. This land-use dynamic threatens the integrity, resilience, and multifunctionality of the goods and services provided by these regions.