Status and change detection of Mangrove forest in Qeshm Island using satellite imagery from 1988 to 2008

Introdoction: The Qeshm Island Mangrove forests are located at southern coast of Iran, near the highest latitude of Mangrove in Southeast of Asia. Due to the importance of all aspects of mangrove forest and to prompte it as one of the most significant world ecosystems the ever increasing destruction of thease natural resources, it is essential to preserve, restore and develop thease forest in Iran.
Material & In this study, mangrove forest areas were determined for 1988, 1998 and 2008; then, the changes were detected by comparing satellite data related to two periods of 1988-1998 and 1998-2008 in the northwest of Qeshm Island.
Result & diction: The results showed that over the past two decades, significant changes have occurred in this area. In the first period, the total forest area increased from 5160.52 ha in 1988 into 5308.32 ha in 1998, i. e., the forest area had developed 181.7 ha (about 5/3%) during 10 years. In other words, the annual average growth rate of these forests was 0.35 percent, equivalent to 18.7 ha per year during that 10 year period. In the second period, the forest area of developed from 5308.32 ha in 1998 into 5512.7 ha in 2008, i. e., the forest area has been developed 204.4 ha, (3.8 %) in the second period 10 year. In other words, the annual average growth rate of the forest 0.38 percent (20.4 ha) per year during the second period. In this study,the main factor for the development of area has been causes natural regeneration and in cases of Afforestation mangrove forests in these areas.