Remote sensing and diachronic analysis of the dynamics of vegetation cover in the Middle Atlas (Forest of Ain Kahla)

Ain-Kahla forest is one of the beautiful Cedar forests in the Middle Atlas, Morocco. In addition it plays a pivotal role revitalizing Ain-Leuh economic farming. This forest has been managed by the HCEFLCD since 1941. Today with the application of advanced information and communication technology (GIS, Computer, Satellite images ...) we can monitor the evolution of forest resources and realize a reliable diagnosis on its current state. The diachronic mapping is based on GIS and Remote Sensing, in form of aerial photographs of 1962 (scanned and mosaicked), and a SPOT image of 2002 with a 10m spatial resolution (processed and modeled). We have used the GIS to produce land use and density maps of vegetation cover. The Oak Grove grew by 10.7%, and the Cedars forest has lost 0.3% of its original area (7.2 ha in forty years): A decline that occurred in reality as a result of the decaying cedars. The Juniper devotees saw a deterioration between 1962 and 2002 with a percentage of 4.1% (17.81 ha) because of overgrazing and increasing domestic needs of the local population. From these statistics the oak remains the only tree species that has been growing successfully. Usually the result of forest density in the drill shows that Ain Kahla experienced a gradual evolution may be due to sequences of development and settlement, and of forest cuts.