An overview of forest monitoring in Kazakhstan based on Earth observation

Abstract

The forest fund in Kazakhstan occupies 5% of the country's territory, and its area is 13.6 million hectares. Forests in nature perform various functions for nature and society, and also play an important role in balancing the climate. Climate change, manifested in the increase in temperature and the current extreme weather conditions, has a negative impact on the health and development of forests. Over the past five years, severe drought and heat, as well as the subsequent mass reproduction of pests, have seriously affected the country's forests. Considering the current scale of forest damage and the resulting long-term consequences, efforts to preserve forests in Kazakhstan, as well as their diversity and productivity, is an indispensable task of the government. Today, reforestation works, works on protection and rational use of forest resources are actively being carried out in the Republic of Kazakhstan. Quantitative data is one of the means of making informed decisions to ensure forest monitoring and improve forest damage monitoring. In addition to existing forest monitoring systems, such as forest inventory, crown condition survey, and forest soil inventory, systematic studies of forest condition and vulnerability on a national scale can be expanded with the help of satellite observation systems. observation is on the ground. In this review, we analyzed and classified all studies published over the last 20 years and devoted to remote sensing of forests in Kazakhstan.