SATELLITE-BASED ESTIMATIONS OF CONIFEROUS FOREST COVER CHANGES - KRUSNE HORY, CZECH-REPUBLIC 1972-1989

The extent and rate of deforestation from 1972 to 1989, including some spatial properties in the heavily polluted mountains of Krusne Hory, on the border between the Czech Republic and Germany were studied. Def orestation was assessed using satellite remote sensing integrated with digital elevation data. The results show that over 50% of the conifer ous forest disappeared during this period. Especially affected areas w ere between 600 and 1000 m a. s. l. and slopes facing south and southe ast. The sector downwind of a large point source of SO2 and NOx was st rongly deforested. The relation between deforestation and distance to the point source is unclear. A satellite estimation of forest damage i n 1989, based on needle loss, resulted in 79%, 17% and 4% of the remai ning 308 km(2) conifers being classified as lightly, moderately and he avily damaged forest, respectively.