The use of satellite remote sensing imagery for detection of secondary forests on post-agricultural soils: A case study of Tuchola Forest, Northern Poland

Satellite imagery Landsat TM was used for the evaluation of Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) on Zabory Landscape Park. On the basis of satellite imagery it was stated that spatial change of index is correlated with the range of forests in the past presented on old topographic maps and utilisation of the area. To define the influence of the previous land-use on NDVI value the comparison analyses was made on four sites. Two of them on areas which were deforested in the past and then reforested again at the end of 19th and 20th century. Two other sites were localised in areas where forest existence was not interrupted by the temporary agricultural usage of the area. It was stated that NDVI value on pine plantations on the postagricultural soils is much lower than on pine forests on land that was not agricultural. Obtained index values for forest areas with a different history were compared to the defined in literature Chlorophyll Index values (CI) and states of green biomass in forest and peat bog communities of Zabory Landscape Park and NDVI values for pine plantations in wide geographical range.