Forest dynamics mapping in central Vietnam from 1988 to 2022 using Landsat time-series data

Forests provide essential ecosystem services, including biodiversity conservation, climate regulation, and livelihoods for millions of people worldwide. This study provides a comprehensive analysis of land-use and land-cover (LULC) changes with a focus on forest cover changes in Huế, central Vietnam, over the period from 1988 to 2022. Huế is a region of ecological and cultural significance, home to diverse forest ecosystems that play a critical role in water regulation, flood mitigation, and soil stabilization. The province’s forests also support rich biodiversity and provide vital resources for local livelihoods. By leveraging time-series Landsat observations and employing the continuous change detection and classification—spectral mixture analysis method, we synthesized multi-decadal geospatial data to track and categorize forest dynamics. The results indicate substantial LULC changes, highlighted by a significant reduction in stable forest cover from 58.3% in 1993 to 48.9% in 2022, accompanied by an increase in degraded forests from 11.7% to 18.0%. Peak forest loss was recorded at 1.5% by the end of 2013. The study discusses economic expansion, infrastructure development, climate variability, and agricultural intensification as key drivers of forest cover change. The findings underscore the importance of sustainable land management practices and provide actionable insights to inform policy development, particularly in regions with complex socio-economic and ecological interactions.