Landsat’s Role in Managing Forests
People and economies around the world rely on forests for timber, carbon storage, flood control, biological diversity, recreation, and more. Forest managers face many challenges. In the last few years, forest fires have become more intense and more frequent; North American forests have experienced widespread infestations by pests such as the pine bark beetle; and tropical deforestation continues. Our changing climate adds complexity to government and commercial decisions about how to manage, protect, and sustain our forest resources. Landsat satellites provide key data for forest monitoring and management across the globe. Landsat gives us consistent views of the health, composition, and extent of forest ecosystems as they change over time. Curtis Woodcock, Professor, Boston University and specialist in remote sensing, has said, “I would argue that the Landsat data archive may be the most valuable environmental data record we have.” Designed, built, and launched by NASA, Landsat satellites have recorded global forest conditions every year since the 1970’s, and they have observed all U.S. forests once a season throughout those years. The U.S. Geological Survey provides this valuable data to the public at no cost. Landsat observations will continue into the future with Landsat 8.
NASA Scientists Map Global Salt Marsh Losses and Their Carbon Impact
The world has lost 561 square miles (1,453 square kilometers) of salt marshes over the past 20 years.
How Scientists Used Acoustic Soundscapes and Satellites to Assess the Health of the Amazon Rainforest
Scientists from NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center and the University of Maryland, College Park, investigated how the acoustics of a forest can be a cost-effective indicator of its health—and Landsat allowed them to see back in time.
World’s Largest Dynamic Kelp Map Launched
The Landsat-informed kelpwatch.org hosts the world’s largest open-source dynamic map of kelp forest canopy.
Diagnosis from the Sky: Catching Insect Infestations within Forests Before It’s Too Late
Fine-tuning remote sensing to protect forests from the spread of dangerous critters.
Nearby Forest Loss Predicts Future Deforestation on Protected Lands
A new analysis of protected forests worldwide finds that protected forests are unlikely to be cut down when they are surrounded by intact forests.
California’s Iconic Blue Oak Woodlands Threatened by Hotter, More Frequent Droughts
California’s blue oak woodlands have decreased by more than 1,200 square kilometers.
