World
Heritage and Biosphere Reserve
Bialowieza
/
Belovezhskaya forest
Bialowieza
/ Belovezhskaya
primeval forest is the only fragment of natural deciduous and mixed
forest
in the European
lowland. The forest has an outstanding biological value and is on
UNESCO’s
World
Heritage Site.
The Bialowieza
/ Belovezhskaya forest
is considered to be the biological riches lowland
forest in
Europe. 2/3 of the
forest is situated in Belarus and 1/3 in Poland.
Although, more
than 2000
scientific papers have been produced on the forest,
no detailed common map exist that reveal the composition and diversity of the
forest.
The project established the cross-border forest compartment
grid, established a GIS facility in Belovezhskaya
Pushcha National Park and made a cross-border Landsat based forest
classification with 45 covers. The classification contain more than 12 classes
that can be directly linked to old growth, dead-wood and high moss appearance.
The satellite derived methodology was developed in the
Polish part from 1997-99. Biodiversity analysis is based upon richness filters
of old growth. Biodiversity analysis and various types of data for daily
management have been integrated into the GIS / forest compartments. The overall
result will enhance cross-border management of the forest by the daily use of
the GIS for decision support, Further, will the forest base map be used for
research i.e. modeling of habitats. The above graphic file can be downloaded to
be view in detail.
Client: COWI / DANCEE
(2002-2003),
Poster as above 1.3 mb
PRINS,
E.,.(2004): Monitoring old forest and biodiversity in Bialowieza/Belovezhskaya,
by the use of Landsat TM. (draft): Int. J. of Remote Sensing
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