Variations in Vegetation Cover in Al-Suwaira District during The period (2017-2023) Using Remote Sensing Data and Geographic Information Systems (GIS)

Abstract

This study aims to determine the extent of change in vegetation cover of the Al-Suwaira region between 2017 and 2023. There are many problems facing this district, which is located in one of the parts of the southern part of Iraq, and where water resources are less compared to the northern and central parts. Seven images from Landsat (8) and Landsat (9) satellites, were acquired and the area was studied and deducted from each image in each year according to the administrative borders of the Al-Suwaira region using the QGIS program and the ENVI program for statistical operations  and classification. For each image, training sets were created and classification was performed. Support Vector Machine (SVM) classifier was used and areas were calculated for the classes. A graphical relationship was made between the percentages of vegetation cover for each image in each year and between time in years. It was found that the percentage of general vegetation cover during the entire study period decreased by (1%) per year. This percentage of decrease in the vegetation cover of the Suwaira area is considered a very large percentage and this gives a dangerous indication of the need to take the necessary measures and procedures to increase the water level in the Tigris River. And land reclamation and also encouraging farmers to pay attention to agriculture.