Change Detection of Vegetation Cover Using Remote Sensing Data as a Case Study: Ajloun Area

Abstract

Remote sensing data in combination with the appropriate multispectral bands such as Landsat OLI/TIR and TM data were used to change detection of vegetation cover using vegetation indices for the periods of 1990 – 2015 in Ajloun area, where this study area has the highest forest cover in Jordan.  The results indicate that overall increase in Unclassified area (urbanization, land degradation and agricultural activities) in the study area between 1990 and 2015 is approximately 146.84 km². Despite the fact that the cultivation and urbanization caused significant changes in the study area. and the percentages to removal of vegetation in the study area reached up to 5.84 of overall area annually which refer to the risk situation which mean that the study area reach to the high level degradation of the vegetation cover.

Keywords: NDVI, Satellite image, Landsat TM, Forest and Classification