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oa Assessment of Forest Cover Dynamics in Landslide-Prone Areas of the Ukrainian Carpathians using Remote Sensing Data
- Publisher: European Association of Geoscientists & Engineers
- Source: Conference Proceedings, 18th International Conference Monitoring of Geological Processes and Ecological Condition of the Environment, Apr 2025, Volume 2025, p.1 - 5
Abstract
The study focuses on monitoring landslide processes and changes in forest cover in the Ukrainian Carpathians using satellite data and Google Earth Engine. Two experimental sites were selected for analysis: one in Zakarpattia and the other in the Ivano-Frankivsk region. Landsat 4, 5, 8, and 9 satellite images (1990–2020) were processed to assess the dynamics of forest cover using vegetation indices. The analysis showed a significant reduction in forest cover in both regions, particularly during the 2000–2010 period, with more intense degradation observed in Zakarpattia. Forest recovery was most noticeable in Zakarpattia between 2010–2015. The research also revealed a correlation between forest cover and the occurrence of landslides. The analysis found that the majority of the registered landslides are located on slopes where disturbances in forest cover are observed, which may indicate a connection between forests and the activation of landslide processes. The results confirm the importance of considering forest cover as a factor in landslide development and point to the need for further research to clarify the relationship between changes in forest cover and landslide activation.