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mapping | Global Forest Watch Blog

Sarah Carter

Manuka Khan

A New Satellite Data App Supports Better Monitoring of European Forests

A new European Forest App supports better monitoring of European forests by providing tailored information and insights in an easy-to-use platform.

A New Satellite Data App Supports Better Monitoring of European Forests | Data &amp; Tools | Global Forest Watch Blog

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Paige Johnson

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forest change

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Indoensia

Indoensia | Global Forest Watch Blog

Michelle Sims

Liz Goldman

Global Forest Watch’s 2024 Tree Cover Loss Data Explained

Explicación de los datos de Global Forest Watch sobre la pérdida de cobertura arbórea en 2024

Explication des données du Global Forest Watch sur la perte de la couverture arborée en 2024  

Penjelasan Data Kehilangan Tutupan Pohon 2024 dari Global Forest Watch  

Explicação dos dados do Global Forest Watch sobre a perda de cobertura arbórea de 2024  

New data shows alarming increases in primary forest loss in 2024. What does the data measure and how does it compare to other official data?

Radost Stanimirova

Anton Raichuk

Maxim Neumann

<p>Over the past several decades, forest loss has been a <a href="https://research.wri.org/gfr/latest-analysis-deforestation-trends" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">stubbornly persistent problem</a> that can disrupt ecosystems, biodiversity and climate stability, as well as negatively impact forest-dependent people around the world.</p>



<p>However, <a href="https://research.wri.org/gfr/key-terms-definitions#tree-cover-loss-and-deforestation" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">not all forest loss is created equal</a>. Deforestation, which typically refers to the permanent conversion of forests to other land uses, often has more severe carbon and ecological impacts compared to temporary forest disturbances such as from logging and other natural and anthropogenic causes.</p>



<p>To better track and differentiate these changes, Global Forest Watch (GFW), Land & Carbon Lab and <a href="https://deepmind.google/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Google DeepMind</a> have developed a <a href="https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/add606" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">new global data set</a> — <a href="https://gfw.global/39qbPdC">available on GFW</a> — on the drivers of tree cover loss at 1-kilometer (km) resolution from 2001 to 2024. Previously, data on drivers was available at <a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.aau3445" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">10-km resolution</a>. The development of this data was led by <a href="https://sustainabilityconsortium.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Sustainability Consortium</a> and provided the foundation for the new 1-km data set. The higher resolution of the new data makes it possible to assess drivers in local or regional applications for the first time. The new data also has more driver classes, providing the most detailed view of drivers yet.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="619" src="https://content.globalforestwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/global_drivers_wlogging-1.png" alt="" class="wp-image-19070" srcset="https://content.globalforestwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/global_drivers_wlogging-1.png 1500w, https://content.globalforestwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/global_drivers_wlogging-1-1024x423.png 1024w, https://content.globalforestwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/global_drivers_wlogging-1-768x317.png 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /></figure>



<p>Thanks to this increased granularity, the new data can be used to support the development of forest conservation and management policies, inform supply chain actors and governments bodies about the causes of deforestation, carbon emissions and biodiversity loss within their supply chains and jurisdictions, and track progress towards global goals to end deforestation.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">How was the new drivers of tree cover loss data developed?&nbsp;</h2>



<p>The new drivers of tree cover loss data, part of a World Resources Institute (WRI) and Google DeepMind collaboration, was developed using deep learning, which is a type of advanced AI model. We developed a <a href="https://arxiv.org/abs/1912.11370" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">customized</a> <a href="https://arxiv.org/abs/1512.03385" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Residual Network</a> (or ResNet, a convolutional neural network model) that uses publicly available satellite observations from Landsat 7 & 8 and Sentinel 2 along with additional satellite-derived biophysical and population data relevant to the driver classes (<a href="https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1748-9326/add606" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">see Table 2</a>) to predict the dominant driver of tree cover loss from 2001 to 2024 at 1-km resolution.</p>



<p>To train the model to make accurate predictions, we visually interpreted nearly 7,000 training samples using very-high resolution imagery. The model uses these labeled samples to learn how to associate the patterns from the input satellite imagery and other supporting data with a driver class. ResNet is a powerful AI algorithm because it uses many data transformations (or “layers”) to extract important features or patterns from an image. It can handle intricate tasks like recognizing objects in images more accurately and efficiently than traditional machine learning approaches.</p>



<p>We also collected an independent stratified random sample of 3,574 1-km plots to estimate the accuracy of the final drivers of tree cover loss map. Both the training and validation data sets are available on <a href="https://zenodo.org/records/15366671" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Zenodo</a> and <a href="https://datasets.wri.org/datasets/dominant-drivers-of-tree-cover-loss-at-1km" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">WRI’s Data Explorer</a>. You can <a href="https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/add606" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">learn more here</a> about the methodology behind the new data. </p>



<p>The data distinguishes between seven classes of drivers: permanent agriculture, hard commodities, shifting cultivation, logging, settlements and infrastructure, wildfire, and other natural disturbances. The dominant driver is defined as the direct driver that caused the majority of <a href="https://gfw.global/2HrzxeF">tree cover loss area</a> within each 1-km grid cell from 2001 to 2024.</p>



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<p>In addition to the drivers of tree cover loss classification, we also created seven probability layers, one for each of the seven driver classes. With these layers, users can implement different probability thresholds to customize the driver classification based on their knowledge of a region of interest. For example, a stakeholder in Southeast Asia interested in understanding tree cover loss due to palm oil expansion can select a custom threshold for the permanent agriculture class (e.g., greater than 0.7), and can exclude areas where probabilities of multiple drivers are high (e.g., no single class has a probability higher than 0.6) as those are more uncertain. The probabilities are available on <a href="https://datasets.wri.org/datasets/dominant-drivers-of-tree-cover-loss-at-1km" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">WRI’s Data Explorer</a> and <a href="https://developers.google.com/earth-engine/datasets/catalog/projects_landandcarbon_assets_wri_gdm_drivers_forest_loss_1km_v1_2_2001_2024" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Google Earth Engine.</a></p>



<p>Despite the improvements the new data provides, there are some limitations:</p>



<ul>
<li>The map does not distinguish between the loss of natural forest and planted trees. For example, logging can occur in both natural forests and plantations. Similarly, permanent agriculture, hard commodities, and settlements and infrastructure classes represent a close approximation of deforestation but do not always represent the conversion of natural forests to other land uses.</li>



<li>We do not disentangle different drivers that are co-located at scales smaller than 1- km or that occur in quick succession in time.</li>
</ul>



<p><a href="https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/add606" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Read more details here</a> about the limitations of the data.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Where can I find the new drivers of tree cover loss data on GFW?&nbsp;</h2>



<p>Users can access the data on the<a href="https://gfw.global/39qbPdC"> GFW map</a>. Users can also analyze the area and proportion of loss attributable to each driver from 2001 to 2024 within their area of interest.</p>



<iframe loading="lazy" width="630" height="460" frameborder="0" src="https://www.globalforestwatch.org/embed/widget/treeLossTsc/country/BRA"></iframe>



<p>Note that results from the previous drivers of tree cover loss data were displayed on the GFW dashboard as a bar chart time series, while results from the new data are displayed as a donut chart. We have changed the visualization to better reflect the characteristics of the underlying data set — the dominant driver of tree cover loss for the full time period between 2001 and 2024.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">How does the new drivers of tree cover loss data compare with the previous data?&nbsp;</h2>



<p>Compared to the <a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.aau3445" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">previous drivers of tree cover loss data set</a>, the new data has the following improvements:</p>



<ul>
<li>Higher spatial resolution<ul><li>Improves differentiation between small-scale commodity crop production and shifting cultivation</li></ul>
<ul>
<li>Improves detection of small-scale drivers, such as small wildfires, settlements and infrastructure, and selective logging</li>
</ul>
</li>



<li>More driver classes<ul><li>Separates commodity-driven deforestation into two separate classes: permanent agriculture and hard commodities (i.e., mining and energy infrastructure)</li></ul>
<ul>
<li>Adds a new class: other natural disturbances (e.g., storms, flooding, landslides, etc.)</li>
</ul>
</li>



<li>Higher accuracy and added probability layers<ul><li>Has higher accuracy for most regions (except Europe and Africa) and smaller confidence intervals across all regions</li></ul>
<ul>
<li>Provides probability layers, one for each of the seven driver classes</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">Specifications of the previous 10-km data and the new 1-km data&nbsp;</h4>



<table>
    <tr>
        <td><strong>Data set</strong></td>
        <td><strong>Geographic coverage</strong></td>
        <td><strong>Years of coverage</strong></td>
        <td><strong>Spatial resolution</strong></td>
        <td><strong>Number of driver classes</strong></td>
        <td><strong>Number of layers</strong></td>
        <td><strong>Global overall accuracy</strong></td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
        <td>Previous 10-km drivers data 
<a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.aau3445">(Curtis et al., 2018)</a>
 </td>
        <td>Global </td>
        <td>2001-2023 </td>
        <td>10-km  </td>
        <td>5 </td>
        <td>1 </td>
        <td>89 ± 3% </td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
        <td>New 1-km drivers data <a href="https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/add606">(Sims et al. 2025)</a></td>
        <td>Global </td>
        <td>2001-2024, to be updated annually with new tree cover loss data </td>
        <td>1-km  </td>
        <td>7 </td>
        <td>8, 1 for driver classes and 7 layers of probabilities </td>
        <td>91 ± 1% </td>
    </tr>
</table>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="2048" height="1638" src="https://content.globalforestwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Drivers-accuracy-comparison-2048x1638.png" alt="" class="wp-image-19053" style="aspect-ratio:1.2503052503052503;width:840px;height:auto" srcset="https://content.globalforestwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Drivers-accuracy-comparison-2048x1638.png 2048w, https://content.globalforestwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Drivers-accuracy-comparison-1024x819.png 1024w, https://content.globalforestwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Drivers-accuracy-comparison-768x614.png 768w, https://content.globalforestwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Drivers-accuracy-comparison-1536x1229.png 1536w" sizes="(max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px" /></figure>



<p>These improvements can be seen when comparing the two data sets in various places.</p>



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<p>The new data differentiates small scale fires from logging in Oregon, USA. The previous data in the same location classifies all loss as forestry.</p>



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<p>The new data detects mining, smallholder cocoa production, and urban expansion outside Kumasi, Ghana. The previous data in the same location classifies shifting agriculture and urban expansion.</p>



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<p>The new data detects selective logging, fires and flooding for hydropower in the Ouésso District of the Republic of Congo. The previous data in the same location classifies all loss as shifting agriculture.</p>



<p>Due to the substantial improvements the new data offers, we recommend using the 1-km drivers data set for analysis of tree cover loss drivers going forward. However, the previous 10-km data can still be accessed via the <a href="https://data.globalforestwatch.org/documents/ff304784a9f04ac4a45a40f60bae5b26/about" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">GFW open data portal</a>.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">How can the new data be used and what does it tell us about drivers of tree cover loss?&nbsp;</h2>



<iframe loading="lazy" width="670" height="490" frameborder="0" src="https://www.globalforestwatch.org/embed/map/?map=eyJkYXRhc2V0cyI6W3siZGF0YXNldCI6InRyZWUtY292ZXItbG9zcy1ieS1kb21pbmFudC1kcml2ZXIiLCJvcGFjaXR5IjoxLCJ2aXNpYmlsaXR5Ijp0cnVlLCJsYXllcnMiOlsidHJlZS1jb3Zlci1sb3NzLWJ5LWRvbWluYW50LWRyaXZlciJdfSx7ImRhdGFzZXQiOiJwb2xpdGljYWwtYm91bmRhcmllcyIsImxheWVycyI6WyJkaXNwdXRlZC1wb2xpdGljYWwtYm91bmRhcmllcyIsInBvbGl0aWNhbC1ib3VuZGFyaWVzIl0sIm9wYWNpdHkiOjEsInZpc2liaWxpdHkiOnRydWV9XX0%3D"></iframe>



<p>On a global scale, our analysis of the new data reveals that most tree cover loss can be attributed to three main drivers: permanent agriculture, wildfire and logging. But while drivers like other natural disturbances, <a href="https://www.wri.org/insights/how-mining-impacts-forests" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">hard commodities</a> and settlements and infrastructure represent a relatively small proportion of loss globally, they can play an important role regionally. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/add606" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Read more here</a> about findings from the data on what’s driving tree cover loss.</p>



<p>This analysis demonstrates how the higher level of spatial detail in the new map provides useful contextual information for users to understand the nature of tree cover loss in their local area of interest. For example, using the map, GFW users can now separate tree cover loss due to expansion of “soft” agricultural commodities from “hard” commodities such as minerals, better characterize selective logging in the tropics and better differentiate permanent agriculture from shifting cultivation. Moreover, this map represents a major advancement in differentiating between natural and anthropogenic losses by detecting events such as bark beetle outbreaks, hurricane damage, meandering rivers and other natural disturbance events. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>



<p>Because these improvements allow us to disentangle deforestation from temporary disturbances in greater detail, the new data improves our ability to track progress towards reducing deforestation such as in the <a href="https://forestdeclaration.org/about/assessment/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Forest Declaration Assessment</a>, the <a href="https://research.wri.org/gfr/forest-targets-tracker" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Global Forest Review Targets Tracker</a> and the <a href="https://www.wri.org/research/state-climate-action-2023" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">State of Climate Action</a> report.</p>



<p>The new data can be used to support the development of forest conservation and management policies by making it possible to pinpoint the causes of deforestation hotspots at finer scales than ever before possible. Detailed insights allow policymakers and conservationists to design tailored interventions to address specific drivers such as logging, for example, and to hold accountable governments and organizations based on their conservation commitments.</p>



<p>Additionally, using this new data, we can refine <a href="https://gfw.global/3jLklJ9" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">maps</a> of <a href="https://www.wri.org/insights/forests-absorb-twice-much-carbon-they-emit-each-year" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">greenhouse gas emissions</a> due to tree cover loss by assigning different amounts of emissions to each driver of loss. It also improves our understanding of the causes of emissions from tree cover loss.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">What’s next for 1-km global drivers of tree cover loss data?&nbsp;</h2>



<p>This new data replaces the previous 10-km data across the whole GFW platform and in all analyses, such as <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41558-020-00976-6" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">GFW’s carbon flux model</a>. The new data is used in the <a href="https://gfr.wri.org/latest-analysis-deforestation-trends" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">2024 analysis of tree cover loss</a> and in the updated <a href="https://gfr.wri.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Global Forest Review</a>. We will update the new 1-km drivers of tree cover loss data annually. </p>



<p>In the future, we plan to develop an AI model to map drivers of tree cover loss at even higher temporal and spatial resolution to understand how different drivers play out over time. Annual data on the drivers of tree cover loss is critical for assessing deforestation after specific cutoff dates relevant for policy commitments such as European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) and for quantifying trends in drivers such as expansion of commodity agriculture.</p>



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New Data on GFW Provides the Most Detailed Look Yet of What’s Driving Forest Loss Globally

New data on GFW shows drivers of tree cover loss at 1-kilometer resolution, providing the most detailed view of drivers yet.

The Most Detailed Look Yet of What’s Driving Forest Loss Globally

carbon

carbon | Global Forest Watch Blog

David Gibbs

Melissa Rose

Nancy Harris

What’s New With GFW’s Forest Carbon Monitoring

Carbon monitoring data on GFW provides information on where forests are gaining or losing carbon. We updated the model in 2023 and 2024.

What’s New With GFW’s Forest Carbon Monitoring | GFW Blog

Teresa Schofield

<p>Global Forest Watch (GFW) is constantly being updated to reflect the most recent and accurate data related to forests. To that end, we’ve updated the political boundaries available on GFW to the most recent version from the Database of Global Administrative Areas (GADM), an open-source political boundary data set. This update ensures that the map, statistics and analyses on GFW use the latest and most accurate information.</p>



<p>With this update, you may observe some changes that are important to be aware of, including changes to the names of political areas; the boundaries for countries, regions and subregions; map functionality around disputed areas; information in forest change and fire alert emails; and data set statistics.</p>



<p>This blog will walk through each of these changes — read on to learn more.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">What is changing and who do these changes affect?</h2>



<p>For many years, GFW has used <a href="https://gadm.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">GADM boundaries</a> as political boundaries for analyses of geospatial data hosted on GFW. When a user performs an analysis of a political boundary on the map or views statistics for a country on the dashboards, they are seeing statistics for a GADM boundary.</p>



<p>In this recent update, we moved from GADM version 3.6 to version 4.1 to provide newer and more accurate information, including renamed areas, adjustments to political borders and more.</p>



<p>Please note, however, that there are various sources of political boundaries available. You can <a href="https://www.globalforestwatch.org/help/map/guides/analyze-data-map/">view instructions in our Help Center</a> on how to upload shapefiles of an alternative country, region or subregion’s boundary.</p>



<p>At the time of this article’s publication, this change is only relevant to the main GFW site, map and dashboards. GFW Pro will also update its political boundaries soon.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Which areas are affected by this update?</h2>



<p>This update includes changes in boundaries across the globe at different levels. GADM labels these different levels as “administrative units,” and breaks them down as follows: “admin 0” refers to country level, “admin 1” refers to state/province level, and “admin 2” refers to county/district level.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Country boundaries</h3>



<p>There is no official changelog available from GADM for this update, but our team has identified several changes to country boundaries. We saw small but noticeable differences in the borders of approximately 10 countries: Chile, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Djibouti, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Togo and Uruguay.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Subnational boundaries</h3>



<p>Our analysis also revealed several updated subnational boundaries.</p>



<p>Multiple countries added or removed regions (admin 2 areas):</p>



<table>
    <tr>
        <td>Countries</td>
        <td>Number of regions in GADM 3.6</td>
        <td>Number of regions in GADM 4.1</td>
        <td>Change </td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
        <td>Colombia</td>
        <td>1065</td>
        <td>1119</td>
        <td>+54 </td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
        <td>Togo</td>
        <td>21</td>
        <td>40</td>
        <td>+19 </td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
        <td>Djibouti</td>
        <td>11</td>
        <td>21</td>
        <td>+10 </td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
        <td>Brunei</td>
        <td>32</td>
        <td>39</td>
        <td>+7 </td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
        <td>American Samoa</td>
        <td>16</td>
        <td>17</td>
        <td>+1 </td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
        <td>Benin</td>
        <td>76</td>
        <td>77</td>
        <td>+1 </td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
        <td>Chile</td>
        <td>54</td>
        <td>55</td>
        <td>+1 </td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
        <td>Costa Rica</td>
        <td>81</td>
        <td>82</td>
        <td>+1 </td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
        <td>Australia</td>
        <td>569</td>
        <td>568</td>
        <td>-1 </td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
        <td>Kenya</td>
        <td>301</td>
        <td>300</td>
        <td>-1 </td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
        <td>Ukraine</td>
        <td>629</td>
        <td>628</td>
        <td>-1 </td>
    </tr>
</table>



<p></p>



<p>At the subnational level, we noted some changes in names, identification codes and/or borders, especially in West and Southern Africa, Central America, South America, Europe and Southeast Asia. The yellow areas of the map below show the updated admin 2 areas that were changed: &nbsp;&nbsp;</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="885" src="https://content.globalforestwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/gadm_changes_gold-1.png" alt="" class="wp-image-18783" srcset="https://content.globalforestwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/gadm_changes_gold-1.png 1500w, https://content.globalforestwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/gadm_changes_gold-1-1024x604.png 1024w, https://content.globalforestwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/gadm_changes_gold-1-768x453.png 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /></figure>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Disputed boundaries</h3>



<p>One major change in this update is that some politically disputed boundaries are no longer included in any country or subnational analysis (note that GADM does not include all disputed boundaries in their data).</p>



<p>With this update, disputed areas are only included in global analysis available on the dashboards. This is because the previous GADM version (3.6) did not delineate disputed boundaries, but GADM 4.1 does: in version 4.1, disputed areas are separated from adjacent admin areas and have their own identification codes. This will mean that the GFW country analyses will no longer include any areas GADM identifies as politically disputed.</p>



<p>For example, the disputed region of Kashmir between China, Pakistan and India is now delineated in version 4.1.</p>



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<h2 class="wp-block-heading">How will this update affect GFW data and statistics?</h2>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Analyses</h3>



<p>With this update, any changes in area boundaries will result in some changes to statistics and results of analyses. If you’d like to compare the previous and new version of your admin area, we recommend downloading the 3.6 version for the chosen area via the <a href="https://gadm.org/old_versions.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">GADM site</a> and comparing it to the same area on the GFW map or dashboard. Please see <a href="https://www.globalforestwatch.org/help/map/guides/analyze-data-map/">this article in our Help Center</a> for instructions on how to upload shapefiles<strong><em>.</em></strong></p>



<p>As an example of this type of change, there are now five provinces in Kalimantan, Indonesia instead of four: Kalimantan Timur (East Kalimantan) has split into two areas — <a href="https://www.globalforestwatch.org/dashboards/country/IDN/34/?location=WyJjb3VudHJ5IiwiSUROIiwiMzQiXQ%3D%3D&map=eyJjYW5Cb3VuZCI6dHJ1ZX0%3D">Kalimantan Timur</a> and <a href="https://www.globalforestwatch.org/dashboards/country/IDN/35/?map=eyJjYW5Cb3VuZCI6dHJ1ZX0%3D">Kalimantan Utara (North Kalimantan)</a>.&nbsp;</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Alert subscriptions and areas saved to MyGFW accounts</h3>



<p>Users will no longer receive alert subscription emails for countries, regions or subregions saved to their MyGFW account before April 29, 2025<strong><em>.</em></strong></p>



<p>To make this change more convenient, we automatically updated political boundaries for saved countries, regions and subregions that maintained the same name between GADM versions 3.6 and 4.1. Users whose areas were automatically updated will receive an email notifying them of this change.</p>



<p>However, if you did not receive an email from us or have multiple saved political boundaries, we recommend that you re-save relevant areas of interest to your MyGFW account:</p>



<ol type="1" start="1">
<li>Navigate to your <a href="https://www.globalforestwatch.org/my-gfw/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=email1&utm_campaign=gadmupdate">MyGFW account</a> and look for areas marked with an “outdated area, notifications paused” tag.</li>



<li>Once you have noted the country, region or subregion that is no longer receiving alert emails, navigate to <a href="https://www.globalforestwatch.org/map/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=email1&utm_campaign=gadmupdate">www.globalforestwatch.org/map</a>.</li>



<li><a href="https://www.globalforestwatch.org/map/?map=eyJkYXRhc2V0cyI6W3siZGF0YXNldCI6InBvbGl0aWNhbC1ib3VuZGFyaWVzIiwibGF5ZXJzIjpbImRpc3B1dGVkLXBvbGl0aWNhbC1ib3VuZGFyaWVzIiwicG9saXRpY2FsLWJvdW5kYXJpZXMiXSwiYm91bmRhcnkiOnRydWUsIm9wYWNpdHkiOjEsInZpc2liaWxpdHkiOnRydWV9XX0%3D&mapMenu=eyJtZW51U2VjdGlvbiI6InNlYXJjaCJ9&utm_medium=email&utm_source=email1&utm_campaign=gadmupdate">Search for the area</a> or navigate to it.</li>



<li>Click on the area, select “analyze,” and then select “save in MyGFW.”</li>



<li>Customize the saved area by selecting a name, tags, alert notifications and more, and then click “save.”</li>
</ol>



<p>You will then continue to receive alert notification emails for this area.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Embeds and URLs</h3>



<p>Embeds of and links to countries, regions and subregions on the dashboard and map may now show or link to new areas. This is due to the GADM identification code changing between versions.</p>



<p>If you are using an embed that shows a political boundary, we recommend checking that it still shows the area you originally chose; if the area’s identifier changed, the embed may show an entirely new area.</p>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">Example from Ghana where the embed shows a new area due to the area identifier changing</h4>



<iframe loading="lazy" width="670" height="490" frameborder="0" src="https://www.globalforestwatch.org/embed/map/?mainMap=eyJzaG93QW5hbHlzaXMiOnRydWV9&map=eyJjZW50ZXIiOnsibGF0Ijo2LjkxNjA4ODMwOTEyNDQ2MiwibG5nIjotMC4zOTI1OTAxODgxNzM3Mzk5fSwiem9vbSI6OC42ODQxODM4MTA0ODgzNTMsImNhbkJvdW5kIjpmYWxzZSwiZGF0YXNldHMiOlt7ImRhdGFzZXQiOiJwb2xpdGljYWwtYm91bmRhcmllcyIsImxheWVycyI6WyJkaXNwdXRlZC1wb2xpdGljYWwtYm91bmRhcmllcyIsInBvbGl0aWNhbC1ib3VuZGFyaWVzIl0sImJvdW5kYXJ5Ijp0cnVlLCJvcGFjaXR5IjoxLCJ2aXNpYmlsaXR5Ijp0cnVlfV19&mapMenu=eyJzZWFyY2giOiJzZW5lLCBnaGFuYSJ9&mapPrompts=eyJvcGVuIjp0cnVlLCJzdGVwc0tleSI6InJlY2VudEltYWdlcnkifQ%3D%3D"></iframe>



<p>If you saved a URL that links to a political boundary, we also recommend checking that the URL still shows the desired area of interest. If it does not, follow <a href="https://www.globalforestwatch.org/help/map/guides/how-to-use-map-dashboards/">these instructions</a> on how you can search for an area on the map and dashboards.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Where can I ask questions and get help?</h2>



<p>The GFW team aims to provide the latest forest monitoring updates for users and support your use of the GFW platform, and we highly value your feedback. If you have feedback on these changes or need help, please contact us at <a href="mailto:gfw@wri.org">gfw@wri.org.</a></p>



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Global Forest Watch Has Updated Political Boundaries — Here’s What You Should Know

<p>Global Forest Watch (GFW) is constantly being updated to reflect the most recent and accurate data related to forests. To that end, we’ve updated the political boundaries available on GFW to the most recent version from the Database of Global Administrative Areas (GADM), an open-source political boundary data set. This update ensures that the map, statistics and analyses on GFW use the latest and most accurate information.</p>



<p>With this update, you may observe some changes that are important to be aware of, including changes to the names of political areas; the boundaries for countries, regions and subregions; map functionality around disputed areas; information in forest change and fire alert emails; and data set statistics.</p>



<p>This blog will walk through each of these changes — read on to learn more.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">What is changing and who do these changes affect?</h2>



<p>For many years, GFW has used <a href="https://gadm.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">GADM boundaries</a> as political boundaries for analyses of geospatial data hosted on GFW. When a user performs an analysis of a political boundary on the map or views statistics for a country on the dashboards, they are seeing statistics for a GADM boundary.</p>



<p>In this recent update, we moved from GADM version 3.6 to version 4.1 to provide newer and more accurate information, including renamed areas, adjustments to political borders and more.</p>



<p>Please note, however, that there are various sources of political boundaries available. You can <a href="https://www.globalforestwatch.org/help/map/guides/analyze-data-map/">view instructions in our Help Center</a> on how to upload shapefiles of an alternative country, region or subregion’s boundary.</p>



<p>At the time of this article’s publication, this change is only relevant to the main GFW site, map and dashboards. GFW Pro will also update its political boundaries soon.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Which areas are affected by this update?</h2>



<p>This update includes changes in boundaries across the globe at different levels. GADM labels these different levels as “administrative units,” and breaks them down as follows: “admin 0” refers to country level, “admin 1” refers to state/province level, and “admin 2” refers to county/district level.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Country boundaries</h3>



<p>There is no official changelog available from GADM for this update, but our team has identified several changes to country boundaries. We saw small but noticeable differences in the borders of approximately 10 countries: Chile, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Djibouti, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Togo and Uruguay.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Subnational boundaries</h3>



<p>Our analysis also revealed several updated subnational boundaries.</p>



<p>Multiple countries added or removed regions (admin 2 areas):</p>



<table>
    <tr>
        <td>Countries</td>
        <td>Number of regions in GADM 3.6</td>
        <td>Number of regions in GADM 4.1</td>
        <td>Change </td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
        <td>Colombia</td>
        <td>1065</td>
        <td>1119</td>
        <td>+54 </td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
        <td>Togo</td>
        <td>21</td>
        <td>40</td>
        <td>+19 </td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
        <td>Djibouti</td>
        <td>11</td>
        <td>21</td>
        <td>+10 </td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
        <td>Brunei</td>
        <td>32</td>
        <td>39</td>
        <td>+7 </td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
        <td>American Samoa</td>
        <td>16</td>
        <td>17</td>
        <td>+1 </td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
        <td>Benin</td>
        <td>76</td>
        <td>77</td>
        <td>+1 </td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
        <td>Chile</td>
        <td>54</td>
        <td>55</td>
        <td>+1 </td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
        <td>Costa Rica</td>
        <td>81</td>
        <td>82</td>
        <td>+1 </td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
        <td>Australia</td>
        <td>569</td>
        <td>568</td>
        <td>-1 </td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
        <td>Kenya</td>
        <td>301</td>
        <td>300</td>
        <td>-1 </td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
        <td>Ukraine</td>
        <td>629</td>
        <td>628</td>
        <td>-1 </td>
    </tr>
</table>



<p></p>



<p>At the subnational level, we noted some changes in names, identification codes and/or borders, especially in West and Southern Africa, Central America, South America, Europe and Southeast Asia. The yellow areas of the map below show the updated admin 2 areas that were changed: &nbsp;&nbsp;</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img src="https://content.globalforestwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/gadm_changes_gold-1.png" alt="" class="wp-image-18783"/></figure>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Disputed boundaries</h3>



<p>One major change in this update is that some politically disputed boundaries are no longer included in any country or subnational analysis (note that GADM does not include all disputed boundaries in their data).</p>



<p>With this update, disputed areas are only included in global analysis available on the dashboards. This is because the previous GADM version (3.6) did not delineate disputed boundaries, but GADM 4.1 does: in version 4.1, disputed areas are separated from adjacent admin areas and have their own identification codes. This will mean that the GFW country analyses will no longer include any areas GADM identifies as politically disputed.</p>



<p>For example, the disputed region of Kashmir between China, Pakistan and India is now delineated in version 4.1.</p>



<div class="flourish-embed flourish-photo-slider" data-src="visualisation/22364626?163031"><script src="https://public.flourish.studio/resources/embed.js"></script><noscript><img src="https://public.flourish.studio/visualisation/22364626/thumbnail" width="100%" alt="photo-slider visualization" /></noscript></div>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">How will this update affect GFW data and statistics?</h2>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Analyses</h3>



<p>With this update, any changes in area boundaries will result in some changes to statistics and results of analyses. If you’d like to compare the previous and new version of your admin area, we recommend downloading the 3.6 version for the chosen area via the <a href="https://gadm.org/old_versions.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">GADM site</a> and comparing it to the same area on the GFW map or dashboard. Please see <a href="https://www.globalforestwatch.org/help/map/guides/analyze-data-map/">this article in our Help Center</a> for instructions on how to upload shapefiles<strong><em>.</em></strong></p>



<p>As an example of this type of change, there are now five provinces in Kalimantan, Indonesia instead of four: Kalimantan Timur (East Kalimantan) has split into two areas — <a href="https://www.globalforestwatch.org/dashboards/country/IDN/34/?location=WyJjb3VudHJ5IiwiSUROIiwiMzQiXQ%3D%3D&amp;map=eyJjYW5Cb3VuZCI6dHJ1ZX0%3D">Kalimantan Timur</a> and <a href="https://www.globalforestwatch.org/dashboards/country/IDN/35/?map=eyJjYW5Cb3VuZCI6dHJ1ZX0%3D">Kalimantan Utara (North Kalimantan)</a>.&nbsp;</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Alert subscriptions and areas saved to MyGFW accounts</h3>



<p>Users will no longer receive alert subscription emails for countries, regions or subregions saved to their MyGFW account before April 29, 2025<strong><em>.</em></strong></p>



<p>To make this change more convenient, we automatically updated political boundaries for saved countries, regions and subregions that maintained the same name between GADM versions 3.6 and 4.1. Users whose areas were automatically updated will receive an email notifying them of this change.</p>



<p>However, if you did not receive an email from us or have multiple saved political boundaries, we recommend that you re-save relevant areas of interest to your MyGFW account:</p>



<ol type="1" start="1">
<li>Navigate to your <a href="https://www.globalforestwatch.org/my-gfw/?utm_medium=email&amp;utm_source=email1&amp;utm_campaign=gadmupdate">MyGFW account</a> and look for areas marked with an “outdated area, notifications paused” tag.</li>



<li>Once you have noted the country, region or subregion that is no longer receiving alert emails, navigate to <a href="https://www.globalforestwatch.org/map/?utm_medium=email&amp;utm_source=email1&amp;utm_campaign=gadmupdate">www.globalforestwatch.org/map</a>.</li>



<li><a href="https://www.globalforestwatch.org/map/?map=eyJkYXRhc2V0cyI6W3siZGF0YXNldCI6InBvbGl0aWNhbC1ib3VuZGFyaWVzIiwibGF5ZXJzIjpbImRpc3B1dGVkLXBvbGl0aWNhbC1ib3VuZGFyaWVzIiwicG9saXRpY2FsLWJvdW5kYXJpZXMiXSwiYm91bmRhcnkiOnRydWUsIm9wYWNpdHkiOjEsInZpc2liaWxpdHkiOnRydWV9XX0%3D&amp;mapMenu=eyJtZW51U2VjdGlvbiI6InNlYXJjaCJ9&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_source=email1&amp;utm_campaign=gadmupdate">Search for the area</a> or navigate to it.</li>



<li>Click on the area, select “analyze,” and then select “save in MyGFW.”</li>



<li>Customize the saved area by selecting a name, tags, alert notifications and more, and then click “save.”</li>
</ol>



<p>You will then continue to receive alert notification emails for this area.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Embeds and URLs</h3>



<p>Embeds of and links to countries, regions and subregions on the dashboard and map may now show or link to new areas. This is due to the GADM identification code changing between versions.</p>



<p>If you are using an embed that shows a political boundary, we recommend checking that it still shows the area you originally chose; if the area’s identifier changed, the embed may show an entirely new area.</p>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">Example from Ghana where the embed shows a new area due to the area identifier changing</h4>



<iframe width="670" height="490" frameborder="0" src="https://www.globalforestwatch.org/embed/map/?mainMap=eyJzaG93QW5hbHlzaXMiOnRydWV9&map=eyJjZW50ZXIiOnsibGF0Ijo2LjkxNjA4ODMwOTEyNDQ2MiwibG5nIjotMC4zOTI1OTAxODgxNzM3Mzk5fSwiem9vbSI6OC42ODQxODM4MTA0ODgzNTMsImNhbkJvdW5kIjpmYWxzZSwiZGF0YXNldHMiOlt7ImRhdGFzZXQiOiJwb2xpdGljYWwtYm91bmRhcmllcyIsImxheWVycyI6WyJkaXNwdXRlZC1wb2xpdGljYWwtYm91bmRhcmllcyIsInBvbGl0aWNhbC1ib3VuZGFyaWVzIl0sImJvdW5kYXJ5Ijp0cnVlLCJvcGFjaXR5IjoxLCJ2aXNpYmlsaXR5Ijp0cnVlfV19&mapMenu=eyJzZWFyY2giOiJzZW5lLCBnaGFuYSJ9&mapPrompts=eyJvcGVuIjp0cnVlLCJzdGVwc0tleSI6InJlY2VudEltYWdlcnkifQ%3D%3D"></iframe>



<p>If you saved a URL that links to a political boundary, we also recommend checking that the URL still shows the desired area of interest. If it does not, follow <a href="https://www.globalforestwatch.org/help/map/guides/how-to-use-map-dashboards/">these instructions</a> on how you can search for an area on the map and dashboards.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Where can I ask questions and get help?</h2>



<p>The GFW team aims to provide the latest forest monitoring updates for users and support your use of the GFW platform, and we highly value your feedback. If you have feedback on these changes or need help, please contact us at <a href="mailto:gfw@wri.org">gfw@wri.org.</a></p>



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Global Forest Watch Has Updated Political Boundaries — Here's What You Should Know

We’ve updated the political boundaries available on GFW using the latest and most accurate information. Learn about the changes in our blog.

Global Forest Watch has Updated Political Boundaries

Global Forest Watch Has Updated Political Boundaries — Here&#8217;s What You Should Know

<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Did you use Planet satellite imagery on GFW? Please tell us how this change affects you in our <a href="https://survey.alchemer.com/s3/8260607/Planet-blog" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">short survey here</a>.</h3>



<p>Recent, high-resolution satellite imagery is essential for providing context to other data layers available on Global Forest Watch (GFW), such as interpreting drivers of tree cover change, identifying possible causes of near-real-time deforestation alerts, and in validation protocols to assess accuracy of land and forest cover and change products.</p>



<p>Launched in 2020, Norway’s International Climate and Forest Initiative (NICFI) partnered with Planet and Kongsberg Satellite Services (KSAT) to provide high-resolution Planet imagery for free, including on GFW, through their Satellite Data Program.</p>



<p>However, the current phase of the program has ended, and <strong>Planet imagery is no longer available on GFW as of April 1, 2025</strong> — but GFW will continue to provide other satellite imagery. Here is what you need to know.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">What is Planet imagery?</h2>



<p>Planet’s high-resolution, analysis-ready mosaics (single images that combine multiple satellite images) of the world’s tropics are natural color images using information from visible light (red, green and blue) to show Earth’s surface as it would appear to the human eye. They are available biannually from December 2015 – May 2020, quarterly for June 2020 – August 2020, and monthly since September 2020.</p>



<p>Over the last few years, many GFW users have benefitted from Planet data, such as organizations like Mighty Earth and HAkA <a href="https://www.globalforestwatch.org/blog/people/video-patrol-leuser-ecosystem-forest-defenders-haka/">combatting illegal deforestation</a>, those <a href="https://www.globalforestwatch.org/blog/data-and-tools/satellite-data-eu-regulation-deforestation-free-supply-chains/">responding to policies such as EUDR</a>, and those reporting on deforestation and other critical forest-related news like Mongabay.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">What are the changes to Planet on GFW?</h2>



<p><strong>Planet imagery was removed from GFW on April 1, 2025.</strong> This means that as of April 1, new Planet mosaics AND historical mosaics are no longer available on GFW.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">What alternative satellite imagery can I use on GFW?</h2>



<p>GFW offers several other imagery sources that are already available to users and can be used to support their work. If resolution is most important, <a href="https://gfw.global/4hQKGAQ">Google satellite imagery</a>, which is available globally for the past 1-3 years, has a resolution that ranges from 15 meters to 15 centimeters depending on the location. For alternative sources of recent data, imagery from the <a href="https://gfw.global/4l7PnJi">Landsat 8 (30-meter resolution) and Sentinel-2A (10-meter resolution)</a> satellites is also available since 2012 and is updated daily on GFW.</p>



<p>Since all imagery has different characteristics (e.g. time periods available and update frequency), users should assess which is most suited to their needs.</p>



<p>To learn more about how to use the satellite imagery currently available on GFW to investigate forest change please <a href="https://www.globalforestwatch.org/help/map/guides/investigate-forest-change-satellite-imagery/">visit our Help Center</a>.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Will new satellite imagery be available through the NICFI program in the future?</h2>



<p>NICFI plans to continue the Satellite Data Program, however, they are in the process of developing a new phase, to be launched later this year. As part of this process, NICFI is evaluating satellite data providers as well as other details of the program (such as frequency and type of data).</p>



<p>Once NICFI is ready to launch the new phase of the Satellite Data Program, GFW will explore whether we will add any new satellite imagery to the platform.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">How can I stay updated on these changes?</h2>



<p>To stay up to date with the latest developments on the NICFI Satellite Data Program, please sign up for the&nbsp;<a href="https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nicfi.no%2Fnewsletter%2F&data=05%7C02%7CIsabela.Barriga%40wri.org%7C51c383e67cd4426038fd08dd3a349078%7C476bac1f36b24ad98699cda6bad1f862%7C0%7C0%7C638730719665838145%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=qcUFo47GOA4SkhXMOI8EvdXKIUlFp4b1KpOYWi%2FjD2Y%3D&reserved=0" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">NICFI newsletter</a>. You can learn more about Planet in their <a href="https://support.planet.com/hc/en-us" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Help Center</a>.</p>



<p>We will also update this blog as new information is available. You can always see the latest updates about data changes and outages in the notifications on the GFW main menu:</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1738" height="902" src="https://content.globalforestwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/GFW-notice-board.png" alt="" class="wp-image-18675" srcset="https://content.globalforestwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/GFW-notice-board.png 1738w, https://content.globalforestwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/GFW-notice-board-1024x531.png 1024w, https://content.globalforestwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/GFW-notice-board-768x399.png 768w, https://content.globalforestwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/GFW-notice-board-1536x797.png 1536w" sizes="(max-width: 1738px) 100vw, 1738px" /></figure>



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Planet Imagery is No Longer Available on GFW — Here’s What You Should Know

<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Did you use Planet satellite imagery on GFW? Please tell us how this change affects you in our <a href="https://survey.alchemer.com/s3/8260607/Planet-blog" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">short survey here</a>.</h3>



<p>Recent, high-resolution satellite imagery is essential for providing context to other data layers available on Global Forest Watch (GFW), such as interpreting drivers of tree cover change, identifying possible causes of near-real-time deforestation alerts, and in validation protocols to assess accuracy of land and forest cover and change products.</p>



<p>Launched in 2020, Norway’s International Climate and Forest Initiative (NICFI) partnered with Planet and Kongsberg Satellite Services (KSAT) to provide high-resolution Planet imagery for free, including on GFW, through their Satellite Data Program.</p>



<p>However, the current phase of the program has ended, and <strong>Planet imagery is no longer available on GFW as of April 1, 2025</strong> — but GFW will continue to provide other satellite imagery. Here is what you need to know.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">What is Planet imagery?</h2>



<p>Planet’s high-resolution, analysis-ready mosaics (single images that combine multiple satellite images) of the world’s tropics are natural color images using information from visible light (red, green and blue) to show Earth’s surface as it would appear to the human eye. They are available biannually from December 2015 - May 2020, quarterly for June 2020 - August 2020, and monthly since September 2020.</p>



<p>Over the last few years, many GFW users have benefitted from Planet data, such as organizations like Mighty Earth and HAkA <a href="https://www.globalforestwatch.org/blog/people/video-patrol-leuser-ecosystem-forest-defenders-haka/">combatting illegal deforestation</a>, those <a href="https://www.globalforestwatch.org/blog/data-and-tools/satellite-data-eu-regulation-deforestation-free-supply-chains/">responding to policies such as EUDR</a>, and those reporting on deforestation and other critical forest-related news like Mongabay.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">What are the changes to Planet on GFW?</h2>



<p><strong>Planet imagery was removed from GFW on April 1, 2025.</strong> This means that as of April 1, new Planet mosaics AND historical mosaics are no longer available on GFW.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">What alternative satellite imagery can I use on GFW?</h2>



<p>GFW offers several other imagery sources that are already available to users and can be used to support their work. If resolution is most important, <a href="https://gfw.global/4hQKGAQ">Google satellite imagery</a>, which is available globally for the past 1-3 years, has a resolution that ranges from 15 meters to 15 centimeters depending on the location. For alternative sources of recent data, imagery from the <a href="https://gfw.global/4l7PnJi">Landsat 8 (30-meter resolution) and Sentinel-2A (10-meter resolution)</a> satellites is also available since 2012 and is updated daily on GFW.</p>



<p>Since all imagery has different characteristics (e.g. time periods available and update frequency), users should assess which is most suited to their needs.</p>



<p>To learn more about how to use the satellite imagery currently available on GFW to investigate forest change please <a href="https://www.globalforestwatch.org/help/map/guides/investigate-forest-change-satellite-imagery/">visit our Help Center</a>.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Will new satellite imagery be available through the NICFI program in the future?</h2>



<p>NICFI plans to continue the Satellite Data Program, however, they are in the process of developing a new phase, to be launched later this year. As part of this process, NICFI is evaluating satellite data providers as well as other details of the program (such as frequency and type of data).</p>



<p>Once NICFI is ready to launch the new phase of the Satellite Data Program, GFW will explore whether we will add any new satellite imagery to the platform.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">How can I stay updated on these changes?</h2>



<p>To stay up to date with the latest developments on the NICFI Satellite Data Program, please sign up for the&nbsp;<a href="https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nicfi.no%2Fnewsletter%2F&amp;data=05%7C02%7CIsabela.Barriga%40wri.org%7C51c383e67cd4426038fd08dd3a349078%7C476bac1f36b24ad98699cda6bad1f862%7C0%7C0%7C638730719665838145%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=qcUFo47GOA4SkhXMOI8EvdXKIUlFp4b1KpOYWi%2FjD2Y%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">NICFI newsletter</a>. You can learn more about Planet in their <a href="https://support.planet.com/hc/en-us" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Help Center</a>.</p>



<p>We will also update this blog as new information is available. You can always see the latest updates about data changes and outages in the notifications on the GFW main menu:</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img src="https://content.globalforestwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/GFW-notice-board.png" alt="" class="wp-image-18675"/></figure>



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Planet Imagery is No Longer Available on GFW — Here's What You Should Know

<h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong><em>Apakah Anda menggunakan citra satelit Planet di GFW? Beritahu kami bagaimana perubahan ini mempengaruhi Anda dalam </em></strong><a href="https://survey.alchemer.com/s3/8260607/Planet-blog" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><strong><em>survei singkat kami di sini</em></strong></a><strong><em>.</em></strong> </h3>



<p>Citra satelit resolusi tinggi terbaru sangat penting untuk memberikan konteks pada lapisan data lain yang tersedia di Global Forest Watch (GFW), seperti menginterpretasikan faktor pendorong perubahan tutupan pohon, mengidentifikasi kemungkinan penyebab peringatan deforestasi secara nyaris seketika, serta digunakan dalam proses validasi awal untuk menilai akurasi data tutupan dan perubahan hutan dan lahan.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>



<p>Diluncurkan pada 2020, Inisiatif Iklim dan Hutan Internasional Norwegia (NICFI) bekerja sama dengan Planet dan Kongsberg Satellite Services (KSAT) untuk menyediakan citra resolusi tinggi dari Planet secara gratis, termasuk melalui platform GFW, lewat program mereka yang bernama Program Data Satelit.  </p>



<p>Namun, saat ini program tersebut telah berakhir, dan citra Planet tidak lagi tersedia di GFW per 1 April 2025, tetapi GFW akan terus menyediakan citra satelit lainnya. Inilah yang perlu Anda ketahui.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Apa yang dimaksud dengan citra Planet? </h2>



<p>Citra Planet adalah mosaik resolusi tinggi yang siap dianalisis, yaitu gabungan dari beberapa citra satelit menjadi satu gambar utuh. Citra ini menampilkan kawasan tropis dalam warna alami, menggunakan kombinasi cahaya tampak (merah, hijau, dan biru) sehingga permukaan Bumi terlihat seperti yang tampak oleh mata manusia. Citra ini tersedia dua kali setahun dari Desember 2015 hingga Mei 2020, empat kali setahun pada periode Juni-Agustus 2020, dan setiap bulan sejak September 2020.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Selama beberapa tahun terakhir, banyak pengguna GFW yang telah mendapatkan manfaat dari data Planet. Misalnya, organisasi seperti Mighty Earth dan Yayasan Hutan, Alam, dan Lingkungan Aceh (HAkA) <a href="https://www.globalforestwatch.org/blog/people/video-patrol-leuser-ecosystem-forest-defenders-haka/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">dalam memerangi deforestasi</a>, para pihak yang <a href="https://www.globalforestwatch.org/blog/data-and-tools/satellite-data-eu-regulation-deforestation-free-supply-chains/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">merespons kebijakan seperti EUDR</a>, serta media seperti Mongabay yang melaporkan deforestasi dan isu penting lainnya terkait hutan.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Apa saja perubahan yang terjadi pada Citra Planet di GFW? </h2>



<p><strong>Mulai 1 April 2025, citra Planet telah dihapus dari platform GFW</strong>. Artinya, sejak tanggal tersebut, baik mosaik Planet terbaru DAN arsip mosaik sebelumnya sudah tidak lagi tersedia di GFW. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Citra satelit alternatif apa yang dapat saya gunakan di GFW? </h2>



<p>GFW masih menyediakan beberapa sumber citra satelit lain yang&nbsp; yang dapat digunakan untuk mendukung pekerjaan pengguna. Jika resolusi menjadi prioritas utama, <a href="https://gfw.global/4hQKGAQ" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">citra satelit Google</a> bisa menjadi pilihan. Citra ini tersedia secara global untuk kurun waktu 1-3 tahun terakhir dengan resolusi yang berkisar antara 15 meter hingga 15 sentimeter tergantung pada lokasinya. Untuk sumber alternatif data terbaru, GFW juga menyediakan citra dari satelit <a href="https://gfw.global/4l7PnJi" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Landsat 8 (resolusi 30 meter) dan Sentinel-2A (resolusi 10 meter)</a> yang tersedia sejak tahun 2012 dan diperbarui setiap hari di GFW.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Karena masing-masing sumber citra satelit memiliki karakteristik yang berbeda (misalnya periode waktu yang tersedia dan frekuensi pembaruan), pengguna disarankan untuk menyesuaikan pilihan berdasarkan kebutuhan masing-masing.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Untuk mempelajari lebih lanjut mengenai cara menggunakan citra satelit yang tersedia di GFW untuk menginvestigasi perubahan hutan, silakan kunjungi <a href="https://www.globalforestwatch.org/help/map/guides/investigate-forest-change-satellite-imagery/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Pusat Bantuan kami</a>.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Apakah akan ada citra satelit baru dari program NICFI di masa depan? </h2>



<p>NICFI berencana untuk melanjutkan Program Data Satelit, namun saat ini mereka sedang mempersiapkan fase baru yang akan diluncurkan akhir tahun ini. Dalam proses ini, NICFI sedang mengevaluasi penyedia data satelit serta berbagai aspek lain dari programnya, seperti frekuensi pembaruan dan jenis data yang akan disediakan.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>



<p>Setelah NICFI siap untuk meluncurkan fase baru dari Program Data Satelit, GFW akan mempertimbangkan kemungkinan untuk menambahkan citra satelit baru ke dalam platform ini.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Bagaimana cara saya tetap mendapatkan informasi terbaru terkait perubahan ini? </h2>



<p>Untuk mengikuti perkembangan terbaru dari Program Data Satelit NICFI, silakan mendaftar ke <a href="https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nicfi.no%2Fnewsletter%2F&amp;data=05%7C02%7CIsabela.Barriga%40wri.org%7C51c383e67cd4426038fd08dd3a349078%7C476bac1f36b24ad98699cda6bad1f862%7C0%7C0%7C638730719665838145%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=qcUFo47GOA4SkhXMOI8EvdXKIUlFp4b1KpOYWi%2FjD2Y%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">buletin NICFI</a>. Anda juga bisa mempelajari lebih lanjut tentang Planet melalui <a href="https://support.planet.com/hc/en-us" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Pusat Bantuan</a> mereka.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Kami akan terus memperbarui blog ini seiring dengan ketersediaan informasi baru. Selain itu, Anda juga bisa melihat update terkini mengenai perubahan data atau gangguan layanan melalui notifikasi pada menu utama GFW:&nbsp;</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img src="https://content.globalforestwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/GFW-notice-board.png" alt="" class="wp-image-18675"/></figure>



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Citra Planet Tidak Lagi Tersedia di GFW - Inilah yang Harus Anda Ketahui 