Globalization and Forest Resurgence: Changes in Forest Cover in El Salvador

Background

The authors study certain globalization impacts in land-use change in El Salvador. The legacy of war, remittances and international migration are among other factors that have allowed tree resurgence even in highly urban populated areas.  This study tracks the different trajectories of forest recovery by analysing remote-sensing satellite images from 1970's to the early 2000's.

Research goals & methods

In this study, the authors obtained orthorectified Landsat data for two periods of the early 1990's and 2000's from the global land cover facility. All images were collected during the dry season to avoid cloud cover, rain, diffferences in illumination geometry and large crop signatures. The analysis followed three steps: preprocessing, image classification, and development of a modified soil-adjusted vegetation index.

Conclusions & takeways

The study found that even in areas with relatively high population density, there were significant increases in tree cover. The author's attribute this to the country's period of civil war, retraction of agricultural frontier, and international migration along with lesser contributors such as agricultural reform, structural adjustment, and emerging environmental ideas.