Unveiling Vegetation Cover Changes in Banyuwangi, Indonesia: A Decade of Landsat-NDVI Analysis (2013-2023)

¹ Universitas Pendidikan Ganesha, Singaraja, Indonesia
² Paris 1 Pantheon Sorbonne University, Paris, France

^* Corresponding author: made@undiksha.ac.id

Abstract

Monitoring vegetation dynamics is essential for understanding land-use changes and supporting sustainable spatial planning. This study analyzes spatial and temporal changes in vegetation density in Banyuwangi Regency between 2013 and 2023. Eight OLI satellite images were processed using the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) within a geographic information system (GIS) framework. Vegetation density was classified into six categories following USGS standards to assess long-term patterns. Results show that vegetation density in the study area experienced dynamic and complex shifts, largely driven by population growth, infrastructure expansion, and forest-to-agriculture land conversion. The “very dense” vegetation category consistently dominated the landscape, though it declined slightly from 32.2% to 31.8% over the study period. The “very sparse” category recorded the sharpest decrease in 2019, from 10.7% to 2.4%, reflecting significant land-use changes. Meanwhile, the “no vegetation” category also declined, likely due to development and community intervention. The study concludes that while dense vegetation remains a defining feature, rapid development poses a challenge to environmental sustainability. The findings emphasize the need for adaptive spatial planning and integrated land management to balance development pressures with ecological preservation in Banyuwangi Regency.