Analisis Korelasi Indeks Vegetasi dan Kesehatan Pohon di Jalur Hijau Pusat Kota Medan

Abstract

Urban green open spaces in city centers serve as essential ecological components that maintain environmental quality while enhancing the aesthetic and comfort value of urban areas. This study analyzes vegetation density, tree health conditions, and the correlation between vegetation indices and tree health along the green belt of Medan city center through the integration of the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and Forest Health Monitoring (FHM) spatial analysis. Data were collected using purposive sampling and a census method within a 500- meter buffer zone along the roads. The NDVI analysis of the Medan city center green belt in 2025 showed values ranging from -0,05 to 0.56, with the low dense vegetation class dominating an area of 12.240.98 hectares or 43.98% of the total. A total of 135 trees from 12 species were identified, categorized by health condition as follows: 0 very healthy, 16 healthy, 44 moderately unhealthy, 47 unhealthy, and 28 severely unhealthy. Crown condition assessment revealed 62 trees in high health condition, 51 moderate, 13 low and 9 very low. Correlation analysis indicated a significant positive relationship between NDVI values and crown damage, with a Spearman’s rho coefficient of 0.235 and a significance level of 0.005 (p < 0.05), suggesting that greater crown damage corresponds to lower NDVI values. The integration of NDVI and FHM proved effectively in spatially assessing tree health conditions in the densely urbanized green belt of Medan City Center.