Change analysis on land: sandy desertification and vegetation cover in Zhengzhou City, China in the last 10 years

Using Landsat TM and ETM+ images in 1993 and 2004 to interpret the variation of land use and vegetation cover in Zhengzhou area, a study is conducted on the current situation and change of desertification and vegetation cover during 1993-2004, indicating that the desertification has been under control, leading to the decline of the area and most of the waste land converted into arable land, but nevertheless vegetative coverage has dropped by 0.43% in this study period, and especially the woodland has greatly decreased, responsible for lowered vegetation area and vulnerable ecological environment. Some countermeasures are proposed against desertification and for expanding vegetation coverage in an effort to form a good ecosystem in the research area.