Estimation of vegetation density using NDVI and carbon stock in the Utilization Zone of Gunung Halimun Salak National Park

Abstract

Forestry and Other Land Uses (FOLU) is one of the critical sectors in low carbon and climate resilience development. Gunung Halimun Salak National Park (GHSNP) can potentially mitigate climate change by increasing carbon stocks. This study aimed to estimate vegetation density using the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), estimate biomass and aboveground carbon stocks, and analyze the relationships of NDVI with vegetation diversity and carbon stocks in the utilization zone of GHSNP. The method used was vegetation analysis and carbon estimation using allometric and destructive testing for seedling and understory levels. The total plots were 15 (a plot size of 50 × 50 m). NDVI was categorized into three classes, specifically class 1 (0,147 - 0,276), class 2 (0,276 - 0,321), and class 3 (0,321 - 0,493). The utilization zone of GHSNP consists of 56 plant species from 40 families. The research location was dominated by Pinus merkusii. The average biomass and carbon concentrations were 131,14 Mg/ha and 61,64 Mg C/ha, respectively. Carbon concentration strongly correlated with the basal area (r = 95,2%). The NDVI value strongly correlated with the number of individual trees per hectare. NDVI can be used as an approach to estimating forest cover.