GIS-BASED MONITORING OF CAATINGA BIOME FORESTS IN A MUNICIPALITY WITH HIGH POTENTIAL FOR DESERTIFICATION

The objective of this research was to evaluate the occurrence of deforestation of the Caatinga biome and its impact on the increase of the desertification potential of the municipality of Inhapi / AL, considered to be susceptible to desertification and located in the semiarid region of Brazil. Within the municipality, an area representing three bands of aerial photographs of 1960 was selected, as well as image mosaics from 1985, the Landsat 5 satellite (TM - Thematic Mapper) and 2017, the Landsat 8 satellite (OLI - Operational Land Imager), to analyze the areas (km²) of Natural Forest. Vertical Analysis indicated that only lines 2 and 3 obtained priority index 1 for reforestation and Line 1 remained with low indexes (2 and 3) of reforestation priority until 2017. The Horizontal Analysis showed negative values (-1.7km², -4.4km² and -4.7km²), indicated savanna deforestation, while positive values (0.2 and 0.3 km²) were observed between 2017 and 1985, indicating savanna reforestation. The methodology used in this work should be a factor considered in reforestation projects and public policies so that Inhapi/AL is excluded from the list of municipalities located at Caatinga Biome and considered to have high desertification potential.