Environmental Studies and Forestry

More than one quarter of Africa's tree cover is found outside areas previously classified as forest

F. Reiner, M. Brandt, et al.

This groundbreaking research by Florian Reiner and colleagues utilizes PlanetScope nanosatellite imagery to unveil that a staggering 29% of tree cover in Africa exists outside previously defined forest areas. This high-resolution mapping could change the way we assess land use impacts and formulate natural climate solutions.

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Index

Abstract

Consistent monitoring of trees inside and outside forests is crucial for sustainable land management. This study utilizes PlanetScope nanosatellite imagery to map African tree cover, revealing that 29% of tree cover exists outside previously classified forest areas. This high-resolution mapping (RMSE = 9.57%, bias = -6.9%) enables precise assessment of all tree-based ecosystems at a continental scale, potentially redefining land use impact assessments and informing natural climate solutions.

Publisher

Nature Communications

Published On

May 02, 2023

Authors

Florian Reiner, Martin Brandt, Xiaoye Tong, David Skole, Ankit Kariyaa, Philippe Ciais, Andrew Davies, Pierre Hiernaux, Jérôme Chave, Maurice Mugabowindekwe, Christian Igel, Stefan Oehmcke, Fabian Gieseke, Sizhuo Li, Siyu Liu, Sassan Saatchi, Peter Boucher, Jenia Singh, Simon Taugourdeau, Morgane Dendoncker, Xiao-Peng Song, Ole Mertz, Compton J. Tucker, Rasmus Fensholt

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