Assessing the Impact of Rehabilitation Strategies on Desertification Control using Remote Sensing Data and Fuzzy Logic Analysis

Abstract

In the province of Naâma numerous projects have been initiated over the years to rehabilitate areas and combat desertification. This study focuses on the northern region between the municipalities of El Biodh and Mécheria, which is divided into three sites: Site A, Site B, and Site C. The Transformed Soil Adjusted Vegetation Index (TSAVI) was employed to monitor the evolution of vegetation cover and degradation resulting from these projects, and a concept of fuzzy logic was used to build a map for desertification and drought severity using TSAVI, SVI (sandy veil index) and LST (land surface temperature) over five years 1984, 1994, 2000, 2013 and 2023. The results revealed varying degrees of success among these projects, with some achieving their objectives and others experiencing degradation. The contributing factors can be summarized as follows: climate change emerged as a major influencer, with high temperature values and low precipitation rates causing interconnected damages. Overgrazing impacted the pastoral plantation project, which achieved some success despite being degraded. Urban sprawl has affected the green belt project, which has been deteriorated due to trees felling for urbanization. The choice of plant species, namely Pinus halepensis and Eucalyptus camaldulensis, in rehabilitation projects led to no regeneration and subsequent degradation due to their incompatibility with the harsh climatic conditions of the region. This was observed in projects, such as green belt project and mass tree afforestation. In contrast, the sand dune fixation project exhibited significant development over the years, attributed to the use of Tamarix articulata and Retama raetam species, known for their tolerance to the climatic conditions of the study area, and were very useful to stabilize the sand and protect the area.