Remote Sensing of Vegetation for Nature Conservation

Abstract

A rapidly changing environment with land use and climate as the most dynamic components causes new challenges for nature conservation and management of protected areas. Dealing with these changes requires a systematic monitoring. To date, such monitoring programs are mostly backed by expert guess or permanent observation plots. Both have their merits but the plot-based approach is certainly more objective. However, even in the case of appropriate sampling, plots provide only punctual information and changes in the area between plots are easily missed. This gap can be closed by remote sensing.