Free satellite image data application for monitoring land use cover changes in the kon ha nung plateau, vietnam

Remote sensing imagery is the most suitable tool for monitoring, managing, and evaluating land-use overlay fluctuations, especially forest cover for large areas. Free- and medium-resolution satellite imagery is a useful tool that allows scientific researchers and management organizations to monitor forest development in developing countries, such as Vietnam. In this study, we used SPOT 4 and Planet remote sensing data to assess land-use status fluctuations in the Kon Ha Nung Plateau area, Vietnam, between 2000 and 2021 (the overall accuracy was 90.52%, Kappa value = 0.89). The results showed that from 2000 to 2010, the rate of natural forest loss in this area was 0.32%/year, of which, more than 6500 ha were converted to other uses. Between 2010 and 2021, the rate of natural forest loss gradually decreased (0.09%/year) instead of fluctuating between different types of land use. The area of forests, perennial crop land, and annual crop land tended to increase from 2000 to 2010; however, from 2010 to 2021, the area of plantation forests decreased markedly, while the area of perennial crop land and annual crop land continued to expand. The analysis of the policies on forest management, exploitation, and protection was applied locally, to explain the causes of the change in spatiotemporal aspects of the types of land-use cover in the Kon Ha Nung Plateau. Restoring forest areas during 2010–2021 initially improved effectiveness in forest management and protection. Furthermore, the results provide a better understanding of the current position and role of the government apparatus, cadres, and ethnic minorities in socioeconomic development associated with forest protection and development on the Kon Ha Nung Plateau. The results of this study can help managers monitor annual forest-cover fluctuations based on free remote sensing imagery to reduce both the cost of management and surveying, yielding relatively accurate results.