Monitoring of forest cover dynamics in eastern area of Béni-Mellal Province using ASTER and Sentinel-2A multispectral data

<p>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.