Analysis of vegetation changes along the roadsides based on remote sensing

By using the RapidEye images of the Xianxun Highway in 2010 and 2011, two monitoring indices, the vegetation area and the vegetation coverage along the roadsides of highway, were estimated. Then the region being influenced by highway construction was determined according to the changing of indices with different buffer distance. The results indicate that during the period of Xianxun Highway construction, vegetation area changes are not significant in general and the region that vegetation coverage decreased is located in both roadsides of the highway. Considering the changing of the two indices with different buffer distance, the spatial extent for the region being influenced was up to 1000 meter at the both sides of the highway. The findings of this study could be useful for making effective strategies for avoiding the decrease in vegetation caused by highway constructions.