Remotely Sensing Parameters Impacting Vegetation Health and Restoration Upon Mount Sutro

Abstract

This thesis examines the influence of the vegetation management plan on the ecological health of Mount Sutro’s urban forest through the application of remote sensing techniques, particularly multispectral satellite imagery. This analysis evaluates NDVI trends between 2018 and 2023 across seasonal snapshots from May and September and identifies significant correlations between vegetation health and variables such as aspect, sunlight exposure, and land cover class. However, these factors do not fully account for the cause of recent patterns of change observed across this landscape. These findings underscore the value of early-stage monitoring in evaluating restoration efficacy and support the use of adaptive management strategies in urban ecosystems. The results of this study suggest that human-led interventions are the predominant drivers of positive NDVI trends on Mount Sutro, with substantial recovery concentrated in easily accessible locations. In contrast, ongoing vegetation declines continue in more remote and less managed areas.