Multitemporal analysis of forest fragmentation in the upstream region of the Nenjiang River Basin, Northeast China

► We investigate the forest transition and fragmentation process in the upstream region of Nenjiang River Basin, Northeast China from 1954 to 2010. ► The multi-temporal satellite image and historical topographic maps offer unique values in assessing landscape pattern and dynamics. ► Two landscape metrics, AWMPFD and CPL, were used to estimate the forest spatial fragmentation process. ► The upstream region of Nenjiang River Basin experienced an obvious deforestation process from 1954 to 2000 and a slight afforestation process from 2000 to 2010.