Original scientific paper
https://doi.org/10.21861/hgg.2011.73.01.16
Mapping the Forest Change: Using Landsat Imagery in Forest Transition Analysis within the Medvednica Protected Area
Luka Valožić
orcid.org/0000-0001-5696-0367
; University of Zagreb, Faculty of Science Department of Geography Marulićev trg 19/II, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
Marin Cvitanović
orcid.org/0000-0002-3741-0332
; University of Zagreb, Faculty of Science Department of Geography Marulićev trg 19/II, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
Abstract
The Medvednica Nature Park was established in 1981. At that time its main phenomena were forests and forest communities which covered some two thirds of the protected area. The Park is located in close vicinity to Zagreb, the largest city in Croatia, which has been
characterised by a considerable growth in population and area during the last several decades. This article reconstructs a segment of Medvednica protected area’s environmental history from 1978 to 2007. The study combines textual and tabular as well as cartographic
and remote sensing data in order to provide a clear insight into the proportions of deforestation and reforestation, and their spatial patterns across the entire area of the Park. Results indicate forest transition on more than one tenth of the protected area. These
are mostly contact zones of human activities and forest communities located at the edges of the protected area and at its higher elevations. Results also indicate net forest gain of 8.3% over the 1978-2007 period.
Keywords
forest cover; environmental change; Medvednica protected area; maximum likelihood classifier; remote sensing
Hrčak ID:
71518
URI
Publication date:
1.8.2011.
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