Geospatial Technologies-based Priority Forest Restoration Areas Identification: A Systematic Literature Review

Forest resources have been declining due to various human activities, including agricultural expansion, selective logging, and overgrazing. To address this issue, restoration initiatives such as reforestation and afforestation have been introduced, with varying degrees of success. Site selection has emerged as a critical factor in determining the outcome of these initiatives. This review paper examines methods for identifying suitable restoration sites using remote sensing (RS), geographic information systems (GIS), and multi-criteria analysis (MCA), focusing on data sources, satellite imagery, and key criteria. A systematic review of 26 scientific research papers published between 1999 and 2022 was conducted. The analysis revealed that 81% of studies did not involve stakeholders in identifying priority areas for restoration, while 10% included only expert stakeholders. Approximately 70% of studies considered both ecological and socioeconomic criteria, with the remaining 30% focusing solely on ecological factors. Common ecological criteria included distance from existing forest patches, land use/land cover, slope, and proximity to water sources. Satellite imagery used for spatial data collection varied, with Landsat-7 (38.5%), SPOT (30.77%), Landsat-8 (19.23%), and IKONOS (11.54%) being the most frequently utilized. Datasets are mainly sourced from the United States Geological Survey (USGS) website, supplemented by additional open-source platform datasets. This review emphasizes the importance of a multidimensional approach to restoration, integrating ecological, socioeconomic, and political factors with advanced geospatial tools. The findings highlight the need for increased stakeholder involvement, utilization of open-source data, and adoption of holistic, inclusive planning methods to enhance the success of forest landscape restoration initiatives.