Correlation between conversion of arable land into brushwood and distance of plots from roads

Abstract

This paper presents the results of a study into the correlation between the percentage of brushwood on arable land and the distance of arable land areas from the state road network. Uncontrolled conversion of arable land into brushwood usually occurs if the land is abandoned. Land abandonment is an important issue in many regions of Europe and is topical in Estonia, too. There are a number of reasons for land abandonment, and the nature of those reasons is multi-faceted. A systematic and thorough investigation into aspects and factors of land abandonment is needed to define the bigger picture of the phenomenon. The aim of this study was to test whether there was a positive correlation between the distance of arable land areas from the main road network and the percentage of brushwood on such land. The study was carried through on the basis of 15 rural municipalities in Estonia. A digital base map and orthophoto map were the main sources of data for the study. The brushwood areas on the arable land were detected through visual inspection of the orthophoto maps. Different GIS tools were used to form the necessary data base for correlation analysis, which was performed by the municipalities. The results of the study partly proved the hypothesis. A positive correlation between the distance of arable land from the roads and the percentage of brushwood area on arable land was found in six municipalities (r ≥ 0.50). It also emerged that the correlation coefficients decreased if more distant arable land area (more than 1.8 km) were included in the analysis.