Abstract
This study aimed to monitor and analyze the spatial and temporal dynamic of forest cover in Eastern area of Beni-Mellal Province (Morocco), using multispectral ASTER and Sentinel-2A MIS images acquired in 2001 and 2015, respectively. The supervised classification algorithm and NDVI were combined within a GIS environment to quantify the extent and density change of forest cover stands, i.e., Holm oak, Aleppo pine, Thya, Zea oak, Crops & others and Bare ground. The classification overall accuracy was 97.76 and 95.80% in 2001 and 2015 images, respectively. The result revealed an overall forest cover change with an increase in forested area. All species stands showed expansion at the expense of the bare ground and crops & others classes. The density maps showed a net density change with an expansion of dense forest class. The observed forest cover expansion may be due to the favourable climate in the examined period, the protection, the reforestation programs and the regeneration through clandestine cutting. These results constituted the first attempt at mapping and monitoring of forest cover change in the study region that used a remote sensing-based product. They will help authorities and forest managers for the development of sustainable forest conservation and management decisions.
Highlights
Forest is a treasure trove of biodiversity and plays a vital role in maintaining the ecological balance and the health of our planet
This study explored the potential of remote sensing for forest stands mapping and density in the eastern part of Beni-Mellal province, using ASTER and Sentinel-2A MIS images acquired in 2001 and 2015 respectively
The principle of the methodology was the use of supervised classification to map the different types of forest stands
Summary
Forest is a treasure trove of biodiversity and plays a vital role in maintaining the ecological balance and the health of our planet. The forest cover in arid and semi-arid ecosystems is important in support of global biodiversity, carbon sequestration, and economic activities. It provides such a key ecosystem goods and services to over one billion people living in the arid and semi-arid lands (Safriel et al, 2005). It conserves many animal and plant species (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations [FAO], 2015), characterized by many related functions such as timber production, climate regulation and recreation (Gamfeldt et al, 2013). Its continued decline is due to rapid climate change and human pressures such as overexploitation, over- pasturage, conversion to agriculture, and urbanization
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