Analysis of function of forest using artificial satellite data and geographical information
Masahiro Setojima,
Yoko Hirose
, Ken-ichi Shibata
Kokusai Kogyo Co. Ltd.
3-6-1 Asahgaoka, Hino-shi,
Tokyo 191
Japan
Abstract
In recent years, there is a nation-wide phenomenon in Japan that green cover of land is destroyed and living environment in urban areas is deteriorated along with the development of cities. To prevent such tendency, many measures have been taken for the promotion of greenery conservation tree planting plan in urban areas, it is important to grasp the actual state of greenery of cities and to analyze the function of such green areas. Forest has variety of function and they are classified into (1) function to prevent disaster and conserve the land, (2) function relation to living environment, (3) function to conserve the natural ecology (4) cultural function, (5) function relating to biological index and (6) educational function. In this report, we took up, as an example, the forests in greater Sapporo area which is the central city on north part of Japan, and tried to analyze the present state of forest distribution and the functi9on of forest from macro view point using the artificial satellite data and geographical information.
Introduction
Along with the rapid advancement of urbanization and deterioration of living environment in Japan in recent years, there have arisen increasingly strong voices to seek for comfortable and well off life in urban living environment. Under such circumstances, it is considered urgent to conserve and arrange better environment for suburban forest to enhance the recognition for the roles of forest adjacent to cities as well as to improve the environment. In proceeding with the maintenance ad conservation of forest, it is necessary to grasp the actual state of forest over the wide with consistent accuracy from uniformed viewpoint, and to perform the time sequential monitoring continuously.
Having such situation as the background, this paper introduces the functional analysis made on suburban forests of cities by using remote sensing data and each kind of geographical information in an attempt to promote the comprehensive green land preservation measures including the conservation of forests.
The function of forests
Suburban forests as well as urban forests have variety of functions. The forest id formed by (1) topographic feature, geological feature, soil, shape of slope, slope aspect, and (2) its direct composing elements of water, atmosphere, animals and plants. Quality/features and quantity of them, mutually supplementing each other, give effects tot eh adjacent cities. Many functions have been observed to forest (or green land), and they can be classified systematically from various standpoints.
- Environment conservation function: The forest has function to maintain and improve the healthy environment of cities such as to provide purification of atmosphere, mitigation of climate change, and preservation of sunshine and ventilation, giving comfort and relaxing to the human life.
- Recreational function : the forest (or green land) provides indispensable outdoor space for recreation for the residents of cities.
- Disaster prevention function ; The disaster prevention function is further sub divided in to land conservation function such as prevention of degradation and land slide, prevention of flooding and preservation of water-head, mitigation function to absorb noise, vibration and atmospheric pollution, and a function to prevent the spread of fire and preserve the shelter at the time of disaster.
- Productive function : It also has a function to provide forestry products or agricultural products at the suburbs of city.
- Function to prevent the expansion of city : It can prevent the disordered expansion and lead to the healthy development of cities.
- Scenic function : The scenic function is very significant to build up comfortable and relaxing city environment. Especially in case of suburban forest, it has an important function to constitute the near views and far views of urban scape.
