A Simplified Method for the Determination and Monitoring of Green Areas in Urban Parks Using Multispectral Vegetation Indices

Abstract

In this article, a simple method to be used in determining and monitoring existing urban green areas was examined from an ecological point of view. To this end, Altinpark, which is located in the city of Ankara in Turkey, was studied as a pilot area. Normalised difference vegetation index (NDVI), soil adjusted vegetation index (SAW) and tasselled cap green vegetation index (GVI) values of Altinpark were used as ecological indicators. Vegetation cover size and temporal growing rates in the park area in Ankara were determined by employing Remote Sensing Technology. The results were assessed using Kappa statistics. Green area detection accuracies from NDVI, SAW and GVI were 71, 73 and 56%, respectively. Additionally, the 1989 and 2006 green areas of Altinpark were compared with each other to see the temporal growth of green cover in the park area. Green cover change was detected to be 43.9 ha.