1st to 10th January 2024 - GREEN COVER INDEX Flashcards
What is the Green Cover Index (GCI)?
The Green Cover Index (GCI) is a ratio representing the amount of vegetated area (trees, shrubs, grass, etc.) compared to the total land area within a specific region.
Why is the Green Cover Index important?
Monitors the health of ecosystems, especially in sensitive areas like mountains.
Tracks progress towards conservation and sustainability goals.
Helps assess the effectiveness of environmental initiatives.
Who uses the Green Cover Index?
Government agencies (like NHAI in India)
Environmental organizations
Researchers studying land use and conservation
What is the MoU between NHAI and NRSC?
A partnership to develop a Green Cover Index specifically for India’s National Highways, providing data on vegetation along the road network.
What are the goals of the NHAI Green Cover Index project?
Measure the extent of green cover along highways
Track changes in vegetation over time
Identify areas for improvement and prioritize greening efforts
Compare and rank highways based on their green cover
How will the success of the GCI project be measured?
Increase in overall green cover percentage
Positive trends in vegetation growth along specific highway sections
Implementation of informed decisions for sustainable highway development
How is the Green Cover Index calculated?
Remote sensing data (satellite imagery) is used to identify vegetated areas
The area of vegetation is divided by the total area of the region being studied.
The result is a percentage representing the Green Cover Index
What factors can influence the accuracy of GCI calculations?
The resolution of satellite imagery
Types of vegetation (dense forest vs. sparse grassland will have different readings)
Seasonal variations (leafless trees in winter might be underestimated)
