Remote sensing as a tool for environmental monitoring of mangroves on the south coast of Artemisa and Mayabeque, Cuba
Keywords:
NDVI, Enviromental monitoring, Random Forest, Remote Sensing, Sentinel-2Abstract
Mangroves are coastal ecosystems of vital importance due to their ecological functions and their role in
climate change adaptation. However, they face increasing anthropogenic and climate threats that demand
systematic and precise monitoring. This study evaluates the use of remote sensing, specifically Sentinel-2
satellite imagery, for monitoring mangrove vegetation cover on the south coast of the provinces of Artemisa
and Mayabeque, Cuba, between 2017 and 2025. By calculating the Normalized Difference Vegetation In-
dex (NDVI) and applying supervised classification techniques with the Random Forest algorithm, land cover
maps were generated that allowed quantifying the spatiotemporal dynamics of the ecosystem. The results
demonstrated the effectiveness of remote sensing in detecting changes in mangrove extent and health, evi-
dencing their high resilience and post-disturbance recovery. It is concluded that satellite tools, integrated
into an open-access workflow, are essential for environmental monitoring and adaptive management of these
ecosystems in the context of restoration projects such as “Mi Costa”.
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