In Action
The FRA 2020 Remote Sensing Survey (RSS) strongly emphasized incorporating field knowledge during the image analysis process by ensuring effective participation from the survey countries. The interpretation of the global samples is carried out by national experts who know the vegetation and land uses. Those experts are trained during regional or national workshops on FRA remote sensing survey methodology, image interpretation as well as on the use of the satellite image interpretation and analysis software.
35 capacity development workshops were conducted from 2018 to 2021, training more than 800 national experts from 126 countries. Through these workshops, a global network of FRA remote sensing focal points was created. All workshops applied a learning-by-doing approach and allowed participants with limited knowledge of remote sensing to analyze satellite imagery and collect data consistently throughout the world.
Regional workshops
South East Asia Region, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea
05-09 October 2020
Virtual online workshop
21 participants (7 women)
Anglophone Africa
31 August-04 September 2020
Virtual online workshop
27 participants (9 women)
Francophone countries
09 – 11 June 2020
Virtual online workshop
42 participants (6 women)
Near East and Central Asia
08 – 10 June 2020
Virtual online workshop
24 participants (9 women)
Europe
06 - 08 May 2020
Virtual online workshop
43 participants (6 women)
Central Africa
25- 29 February 2020
Yaoundé, Cameroon
28 participants (4 women)
Eastern Africa (2nd workshop)
03-08 February 2020
Arusha, Tanzania
30 participants (7 women)
South-East African Islands
Mantasoa, Madagascar
02-08 December 2019
18 participants (8 women)
Central America
Panama City, Panama
25-30 November 2019
22 participants (4 women)
Northern South America
Quito, Ecuador
18-23 November 2019
19 participants (8 women)
Eastern Africa
29 July - 3 August 2019
Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
22 participants (3 women)
Argentina, Chile, Uruguay
26- 31 August 2019
Termas de Reyes, Argentina
45 participants (16 women)
Southern Africa
8 - 13 July 2019
Maputo, Mozambique
19 participants (1 woman)
South-East Asia
29 October - 2 November 2018
Bangkok, Thailand
22 participants (4 women)
Caribbean
27 - 31 August 2018
Bridgetown, Barbados
18 participants (8 women)
National workshops
Russian Federation
15-19 February 2021
Virtual online workshop
23 participants (8 women)
West and Central USA
08-11 September 2020
Virtual online workshop
11 participants (3 women)
Bolivia
31 August-04 September 2020
Virtual online workshop
24 participants (9 women)
Canada
31 Aug-04 September 2020
Virtual online workshop
27 participants (9 women)
Chile
03-08 August 2020
Virtual online workshop
11 participants (1 woman)
Kazakhstan
15-17 July 2020
Virtual online workshop
9 participants (5 women)
Angola and São Tome e Principe
22– 26 June 2020
Virtual online workshop
12 participants (2 women)
Brazil
01– 03 June 2020
Virtual online workshop
88 participants (39 women)
United States of America
08- 10 April 2020
Virtual online workshop
28 participants (5 women)
Peru
01-03 April 2020
Virtual online workshop
16 participants (5 women)
Madagascar
Antsirabé, Madagascar
03-06 February 2020
12 participants (5 women)
Colombia
23-28 January 2020
Bogota, Colombia
10 participants
Democratic Republic of Congo
Kinshasa, DRC
12-17 December 2019
24 participants (2 women)
Paraguay
04-08 November 2019
Asunción, Paraguay
20 participants (4 women)
Indonesia
24 June - 2 July 2019
Kuta, Bali
37 participants (14 women)
Brazil
27 May – 01 June 2019
Belem, Brazil
38 participants (15 women)
Mexico
20 - 26 May 2019
Akumal, Quintana Roo
24 participants (5 women)
China
08 - 13 April 2019
Xi’an, China
29 participants (3 women)
India
11 - 16 March 2019
Dehradun, Uttrakhand
24 participants (8 women)
Stories
Insights from the field
The concepts of tree cover and forest are not equivalent. Satellites can see trees, but local expertise is needed to identify forest land use.
SANDA VILLAGE, Bali, Indonesia
24 June - July 2019
During the workshop, an area with high tree cover was identified close to the village of Sanda (Bali, Indonesia).
At the field visit, the site revealed not to be a forest, but a typical agroforestry system of bananas, coconut, durian, coffee and clove trees.
BAGAMOYO VILLAGE
Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
29 July - 3 August 2019
A plot with a clear example of forest loss visible from satellite imagery was visited.
The plot was equally divided into two halves, one half composed of natural forest and the other half showing a clearing for cattle grazing purposes. The local farmers confirmed that the clearing had just taken place the year before.