Monitoring the tropical rain forest environment with high resolution satellite images : rectas experience

Abstract

The tropical rainforest in West Africa is one of the most ecologically productive zones in the region, historically supporting the cultivation of export and cash crops such as cocoa, coffee, oil palm, and rubber, as well as lumbering due to global demand for tropical hardwood. However, infrastructural developments such as highway construction, urban expansion, mining, and water impoundments have significantly impacted the forest land cover. To monitor these changes effectively, high-resolution satellite imagery has proven to be a valuable tool. The digitally classified data provides a foundation for temporal comparison with future images, enabling the monitoring of environmental changes in the tropical rainforest. This approach highlights the importance of remote sensing in managing and conserving ecologically sensitive areas.