Ok, it's really hard to say anything from this end coz you are the one doing all the literature survey. There could be hundreds of reason why the result do not match
-the source you are talking about has different methodology with different data in different software,
-the data you are using is over or under prepared
-the area you are calling 'rich forest' has changed during this time
-and many more
If I were you, i'd go visit those places called 'rich' and see if the there is really something. That's actually ground truthing.