Overview
Forest
Cover Characteristics and Changes
This is
the most important, but also the most challenging, of the
GOFC-GOLD themes. The associated information products appeal
to the widest spectrum of users, including resource managers,
policy makers, and scientists studying the global carbon cycle
and biodiversity loss. GOFC-GOLD has proposed a systematic
program for coarse resolution (250 - 1000 m) land cover mapping
on a five year cycle, combined with periodic mapping and monitoring
of forested areas at fine resolution (~25 m). Very large datasets
from a wide range of sensors have to be acquired, assembled,
processed, and analyzed. Although most of the individual technology
components have been demonstrated, coordinated systems to
generate the required products need to be established. The
proposed approach is shown schematically in Figures 2 and
3.
Figure 2: Forest Cover Characteristics
Figure 3: Forest Cover Changes
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