Belarusian land use classification based on object-oriented extraction

Note: This research project was completed with the support of the Joint Research and Cooperation Program of the Belt and Road International Science Organizations Alliance.

Project Background

The Republic of Belarus, commonly known as Belarus, has a land area of ​​207,600 square kilometers. The terrain is mostly flat, consisting of plains and basins, with an average elevation of 160 meters. The south is a vast lowland, the central region is mostly plains and low hills, and the north and northwest are slightly higher, with some highlands and rolling hills, the highest point reaching 345 meters. The soil is mainly meadow-podzolic soil, followed by marsh soil and sandy soil; the soil is relatively fertile, with an average growing season of 184-208 days. Water resources are abundant, with numerous rivers and lakes, totaling 20,781 rivers, 12,250 lakes, and 153 reservoirs. The climate is mild and humid, classified as a temperate continental climate, with warm summers, rainy autumns, and wet winters. The average temperature in January is between -4°C and -8°C, and the average temperature in July is between +17°C and +19°C. The lowlands receive an average annual rainfall of 500–650 mm, while the plains and highlands receive 650–750 mm. The abundant rainfall and favorable natural conditions make the area suitable for agricultural production.

In 2012, the output value of the crop farming industry was 30.47 trillion Belarusian rubles, equivalent to approximately US$3.655 billion (calculated at an average annual exchange rate of 1 US dollar: 8335.86 Belarusian rubles), accounting for 51.7% of the total agricultural output value.

△ Table 1. Crop Sown Area in Belarus, 2005–2011 (Unit: Thousand Hectares)

△ Table 2. Total Crop Production in Belarus, 2005–2012 (Unit: Thousand Tons)

Satellite remote sensing technology can be used to monitor the growth status, yield, pests, diseases, and disasters of agricultural resources. Belarus has a well-developed satellite remote sensing technology sector, possessing abundant land use and soil survey geographic information resources and satellite ground receiving stations. While Belarus exhibits significant soil heterogeneity and complex land use types, most of these have been previously discussed in studies. Furthermore, Belarus's mid-to-high latitude location minimizes the impact of cloud and rain, resulting in a large volume of high-quality imagery available year-round, providing a solid data foundation for satellite remote sensing applications.

Basic Project Process

This project was completed with the support of the Alliance of International Science Organizations (ANSO) Joint Research Cooperation Program under the Belt and Road Initiative. Data preparation and fusion were performed using Sentinel Hub and Google Earth Engine. Training samples were labeled using publicly available datasets, publications, and visual interpretation. The supervised learning method OBIA-RF (Object-Oriented Random Forest) was then used to classify and extract land cover features from agricultural and forestry datasets. Finally, mapping and statistical analysis were performed using software such as QGIS and ArcGIS. Combined with meteorological and soil data, soil ecological potential was assessed.

△ Flowchart of Object-Oriented Land Use Classification

△ Soil type map of Belarus (Karacsonyi, David. (2017). Belarus in Maps.)

Project Results

Figure 3. Changes in forest and arable land cover in Belarus, 2014–2023.

Figure 4. Statistical chart of changes in forest and cultivated land area in Belarus, 2014–2023.

△ Figure 5. Statistical chart of forest area changes in various regions of Belarus from 2014 to 2023

△ Figure 6. Statistical chart of changes in cultivated land area in various regions of Belarus from 2014 to 2023

Overall, the area of ​​forests and arable land in Belarus fluctuates annually but remains generally stable, except for a significant decrease in forest area in Vitebsk Oblast in 2020 (Figure 4). The ranking of area across regions has also remained largely stable. Referring to Figure 5, the arable land area in Vitebsk Oblast increased significantly after 2021, suggesting that the decline in forest area may be due to farmland conversion. It is noteworthy that the forest area in Minsk Oblast also showed a downward trend after 2022, while the farmland area showed an increasing trend and a relatively rapid growth rate. This may be because Minsk Oblast is located in the administrative center region and has a relatively developed agricultural industry, with the promotion of large-scale agriculture in recent years leading to an expansion of farmland.

Furthermore, Grodno has the lowest forest and arable land areas, likely due to lower temperatures compared to other states, higher rainfall and runoff, and a significant proportion of Hypo-Stagnic Retisol (Stiltic, Cleyic) soils (Figure 2). These soils have high clay content, which typically affects drainage and aeration, and also hinders root penetration. Combined with the high rainfall, this leads to short-term or periodic shallow waterlogging. Temporary saturation after rainfall can negatively impact plant growth and soil biological activity. Therefore, the state has low forest and arable land areas, with wetland plant communities and ecosystems dominating.

In addition to annual area statistics, it can also analyze inter-year area changes and hotspots of change. While providing macro-statistical data, it provides detailed information on changes in target land use cover types in a more detailed manner, providing objective and effective references for the formulation and implementation of macro and regional agricultural policies.