Analysis of temporal and spatial changes of vegetation coverage of the Mombasa-Nairobi railway area in Kenya

Forest vegetation coverage (FVC) from 2000 to 2017 was obtained by analyzing long-term MODIS NDVI data. Analytical methods such as correlation analysis and variation degree analysis were used to analyze the temporal and spatial changes of vegetation coverage of the Mombasa—Nairobi railway area in Kenya. The results show: ①The relevant regional FVC shows an increasing trend from 2000 to 2017, with a growth rate of 0.02%/10 a. During the construction of the Mombasa—Nairobi railway in 2013—2017, the FVC in the region increased slowly, from 74.82% to 76%. ②The overall characteristics of the FVC are higher vegetation coverage in the Nairobi National Park, Tsavo National Park, and the low-altitude areas around Mombasa: the FVC is around 80%. And the FVC in small and medium-sized cities along the mid-section of the Mombasa—Nairobi railway is lower, below 60%; the stability value of FVC from 2000 to 2017 demonstrates that: it increased in 44.04% of the relevant regions; it was stable in 52.45%; and it showed a decreasing trend in 3.51%. ③ The ratio of the area transfer matrix of the period from 2000 to 2008 showed a slight decrease. The ratio of the two periods from 2009 to 2013 and 2014 to 2017 was greater than 1, showing an improvement in FVC.