Abstract
This study shows the outcome of realistic steps towards the coastal
habitat conservation through mangroves plantation in Keti Bunder (Indus
delta), Thatta district, Sindh province, Pakistan. From the visual
interpretation of repeat terrestrial photographs and Google Earth highresolution satellite images, healthy growth of mangroves plantation was
observed on previously barren mudflats. Even the canopy of sparse
mangroves trees became enriched in various areas. In a small area of
372 km2
around the plantation sites, the study quantified 0.44 km2
/year
gross rate of afforestation using Normalized Difference Vegetation Index
(NDVI) values derived from 30 m spatial resolution Landsat satellite
images (April 2010 and May 2015). Through coastal conservation
practices, plantation campaigns provide livelihood support to local
communities; and hence the communities with NGOs and Government
departments provided local support in plantation and protection of
mangroves saplings. On the brighter side, in recent years Pakistan has
taken enormous steps towards tree plantation under national (Green
Pakistan Programme) and provincial (Billion Tree Tsunami in Khyber
Pakhtunkhwa) initiatives. Through this study, we have proposed a costeffective and convenient tree plantation-monitoring mechanism, which
can be replicated over any plantation sites at diverse landscapes.
UROOJ SAEED, SAJID RASHID AHMAD, HAMMAD GILANI, RAB NAWAZ, NAEEM SHAHZAD, IRFAN ASHRAF, WAQAS AHMED QAZI. (2019) Monitoring mangroves plantation sites through the integration of repeat terrestrial photographs and spaceborne imagery, Biologia – Journal of Biological Society of Pakistan, Volume 65 (II), Issue 2.
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