Assessing the Plans Designed to Combat Desertification Using Statistical Analysis of Satellite Images: A Case Study of Kashan Plain, Iran

Abstract

Seeking to combat desertification as a major environmental hazard, especially in recent decades, experts have offered some projects to be implemented in this regard, trying to reduce the destructive effects of the phenomenon. Therefore, assessing the projects implemented in this regard can help improve the management of desertification and the adoption of relevant appropriate decisions in the future. This study, thus, set out to compare the alterations made in the vegetation of the Kashan plain as a result of the implementation of five desertification combat plans using statistical techniques and the Normalized Vegetation Index (NDVI) time series of Landsat satellite collected from the 2003 to 2020. The study’s results indicated that the average NDVI index in the studied areas increased following the implementation of the plans. On the other hand, the results of examining the trend of the NDVI index time series showed that vegetation density within the plain had an increasing trend throughout the study period. However, it was found that from 2008 to 2010, the trend changed in all five series, with positive trends being created or reinforced when the projects to combat desertification were carried out. Therefore, it can be concluded that the projects have at least increased the vegetation density, creating a positive trend with a gentle slope.