Landsat time series analysis for temperate forest cover change detection in the Sierra Madre Occidental, Durango, Mexico.

•We applied the LTSS-VCT approach to detect changes in the temperate forest of the SMO in the State of Durango (Mexico).•The extent of disturbance estimated using the VCT algorithm was compared with the INEGI’s land use and vegetation maps.•We development a fragmentation analysis to characterize forest disturbance.•We found that about 34% of the temperate forest cover was lost for the period 1986-2012.•Forest pests and forest fires are the principal disturbance events, and the climate greatly influenced the incidence of disturbances.