The ReCaREDD project, Brazil workshops – Curitiba and São José dos Campos, 13th – 20th April 2016

EMBRAPA Florestas, Curitiba, Brazil: The workshop was held at the headquarters of EMBRAPA Florestas in Curitiba/Colombo from 13th – 15th April, as a follow-up of EMBRAPA’s visit in Ispra in November 2015 (supported by the 8th EU-Brazil Sector Dialogues Programme). EMBAPA Florestas is responsible for the development of a remote sensing – based methodology for the ‘Landscape Study’ as part of the currently ongoing Brazilian National Forest Inventory. In this context, the newest version of the JRC IMPACT Toolbox was presented. IMPACT is an essential tool integrated in the methodology of the ‘NFI Landscape Study’, which should at some stage be applied to more than 5.000 sample units. Seven researchers from EMBRAPA Florestas attended the workshop. INPE, São José dos Campos, Brazil: A three-day workshop, attended by 15 researchers, was held at the INPE Remote Sensing department, the main topics discussed were the possible usage by the JRC of the new version of INPE’s TerraLib segmentation software, the presentation of the new version of the JRC IMPACT Toolbox, several joint INPE-JRC research projects (long-term forest cover change assessment in the Amazon, selective logging monitoring in Mato Grosso State), and, in the general the way forward of the remote sensing – based forestry research collaboration between the two research centres, with a specific focus on forest degradation monitoring. INPE is responsible for the technical aspects regarding the Brazilian REDD reporting.JRC.D.1-Bio-econom

User Manual for the JRC Land Cover/Use Change Validation Tool

The JRC TREES-3 project aims at estimating forest cover changes at continental and regional levels for the Tropical belt for the periods 1990-2000 and 2000-(2005)-2010 based on a systematic sample of forest cover change maps. An operational system has been developed for the processing and change assessment of a large data set of multi-temporal medium resolution imagery (sample units of 20 km x 20 km size analysed from with Landsat imagery). The main task is to assess as accurately as possible for each sample unit the forest cover and forest cover change between two dates. The analysis includes a crucial final step of visual verification and final assignment of land cover labels which is carried out by forestry national officers or remote sensing experts from tropical countries. The visual interpretation is conducted interdependently on two-date imagery to verify and to adjust the labels pre-assigned to each segment for the different dates. A dedicated stand-alone application has been developed for this purpose. The application is a graphical user interface, called the JRC Land Cover/Use Change Validation Tool. The aim of this tool is to provide a user-friendly interface, with an optimised set of commands to navigate through and assess a given dataset of satellite imagery and land cover maps, and to correct easily the land-cover labels as appropriate. The present technical document, entitled ¿User Manual for the JRC Land Cover Change Validation Tool¿ describes the steps for the installation of the tool on a personal computer, as well as the detailed features of this dedicated graphical user interface. The authors welcome feedbacks from potential users of the tool, in particular reporting of any potential software issue or providing suggestions for improvements of future versions of the tool.JRC.DDG.H.3-Global environement monitorin

Manual del usuario para la herramienta del CCI de validación del cambio en la cobertura vegetal/ocupación del suelo

El proyecto TREES-3 del CCI tiene por objeto estimar los cambios en la cobertura forestal a nivel continental y regional para el cinturón tropical y para los períodos 1990-2000 y 2000-(2005)-2010 basándose en una muestra sistemática de los mapas de cambios en la cobertura forestal. Se ha desarrollado un sistema para el tratamiento y evaluación de los cambios en la cobertura vegetal a partir de un amplio conjunto de datos de imágenes de resolución media multitemporales (unidades de muestra de 20 km x 20 km analizadas a partir de imágenes del satélite Landsat). La principal tarea es evaluar, de la manera más exacta posible y para cada unidad de muestra, la cobertura forestal y el cambio en esta entre dos fechas. El análisis incluye un paso final crucial consistente en la verificación visual y la asignación final de etiquetas de cobertura vegetal, efectuado por funcionarios nacionales responsables de los bosques o expertos en teledetección de los países tropicales. La interpretación visual se lleva a cabo de manera interdependiente en imágenes de dos fechas a fin de verificar y ajustar las etiquetas preasignadas a cada segmento para las diferentes fechas. Con esta finalidad se ha desarrollado una aplicación dedicada autónoma. La aplicación es una interfaz gráfica de usuario denominada «herramienta del CCI de validación del cambio en la cobertura vegetal», cuya finalidad es proporcionar una interfaz de fácil manejo con un conjunto optimizado de órdenes para navegar por un conjunto de datos de imágenes de satélite y mapas de la cobertura vegetal, evaluarlos y corregir fácilmente las etiquetas de ocupación del suelo según corresponda. En esta tarea la FAO está colaborando con el CCI en el marco del “Global Forest Resource Assessment (FRA) Remote Sensing Survey”. El CCI añadió funcionalidades a esta herramienta para permitir el etiquetado de clases de ocupación del suelo que forman parte de la clasificación FRA. El presente documento técnico, titulado «Manual de instrucciones para la herramienta del CCI de validación del cambio en la cobertura vegetal/ocupación del suelo» (JRC Land Cover/Use Change Validation Tool) describe el procedimiento de instalación de la herramienta en un ordenador personal, así como las características detalladas de la interfaz gráfica de usuario. Los autores agradecen las aportaciones de los usuarios de la herramienta, especialmente la información respecto a cualquier problema de software o las sugerencias para la mejora de futuras versiones.JRC.H.3-Forest Resources and Climat

Manual de utilização de ferramenta do Centro Comum de Investigação para validação das mudanças da cobertura vegetal e do uso da terra

O projeto TREES-3 do CCI tem como objetivo avaliar mudanças da cobertura vegetal na região tropical que ocorreram entre 1990 e 2000, e entre 2000-(2005)-2010. Para isto, foram processadas e avaliadas mudanças da cobertura vegetal em uma grande quantidade de imagens de satélite multi-temporais de resolução espacial média (unidades amostrais de 20 km x 20 km de imagens Landsat). Desta forma, o projeto TREES-3 busca avaliar para cada uma das unidades amostrais a cobertura florestal e as mudanças da cobertura vegetal ocorrida num quinquénio ou década com a mais alta precisão possível. A análise da mudança da cobertura vegetal e do uso da terra inclui também uma etapa de validação visual da classificação das imagens de satélite para atribuir as classes definitivas. Para esta etapa, o CCI desenvolveu uma ferramenta computacional chamada ‘‘Ferramenta do CCI para validação das mudanças da cobertura vegetal e do uso da terra’’. Esta ferramenta é utilizada por agentes florestais nacionais ou especialistas em sensoriamento remoto provenientes de países tropicais. Nesta ferramenta, a interpretação visual das imagens de satélite é efetuada de maneira simultânea utilizando imagens de dois períodos diferentes. Desta forma, é possível verificar e ajustar classes de uso da terra que foram previamente definidas. Neste trabalho, a FAO colabora com o CCI no âmbito do projeto de levantamento por sensoriamento remoto para avaliação dos recursos florestais mundiais (FRA). O CCI agregou na ferramenta computacional uma função que permite atribuir classes de uso da terra que fazem parte da classificação utilizada pela FAO. O presente documento, intitulado ‘‘Manual de utilização de ferramenta do Centro Comum de Investigação para validação das mudanças da cobertura vegetal e do uso da terra”, explica o procedimento para instalação da ferramenta e descreve as características da interface gráfica do usuário.JRC.H.3-Forest Resources and Climat

Manuel d'utilisation de l'outil du CCR pour la validation des changements du couvert végétal / de l'utilisation des terres

Le projet TREES-3 du CCR a pour objectif d¿estimer les changements dans le couvert forestier aux échelles continentales et régionales dans les régions tropicales qui sont survenus au cours des années 1990 à 2000 et 2000 à (2005)-2010 sur la base d¿un échantillon systématique de cartes révélant les changements du couvert forestier. Un système opérationnel a été mis au point pour traiter et évaluer les changements dans un grand nombre de sites à partir d¿images multi-temporelles de moyenne résolution spatiale (unités d¿échantillonnage de 20 km x 20 km analysées à partir d¿images Landsat). L¿objectif principal est d¿évaluer le plus précisément possible, pour chaque unité d¿échantillonnage, le couvert forestier et le changement dans celui-ci entre deux dates. L¿analyse comprend une étape ultime d¿une importance cruciale qui consiste à vérifier visuellement et à attribuer l¿identification finale des couverts végétaux. Cette dernière étape est confiée aux soins d¿agents forestiers nationaux ou d¿experts en télédétection, issus de pays tropicaux. L¿interprétation visuelle s¿effectue de manière interdépendante à partir d¿images pris à deux dates différentes afin de vérifier et d¿ajuster les classes de végétation préalablement attribuées à chaque segment aux différentes dates. Une application autonome a été spécialement conçue à cette fin. Dénommée «Outil du CCR pour la validation des changements du couvert végétal», cette application est une interface utilisateur graphique conviviale dont la série optimisée de commandes permet, d¿une part, de naviguer à des fins d¿évaluation dans un ensemble d¿images satellitaires et de cartes représentant le couvert végétal et, d¿autre part, de corriger aisément, le cas échéant, les classes de couvert végétal. La FAO collabore avec le CCR à ce travail dans le cadre de l¿enquête par télédétection qui est menée à bien au titre de l¿évaluation des ressources forestières mondiales (FRA). Le CCR a ajouté à l¿outil une fonctionnalité qui permet aussi d¿étiqueter les classes d¿utilisation des terres qui relèvent de la classification utilisée par la FAO. Le présent document, intitulé «Manuel d¿utilisation de l¿outil du CCR pour la validation des changements du couvert végétal / de l¿utilisation des terres», explique la procédure à suivre pour installer le logiciel sur un ordinateur personnel et décrit en détail les caractéristiques de cette interface utilisateur graphique spécifique. Les auteurs remercient d¿ores et déjà les utilisateurs potentiels de l¿outil de bien vouloir leur faire part de leurs commentaires et en particulier de les tenir informés de tout problème logiciel éventuel ou de leur faire parvenir toute suggestion d¿améliorations pour les futures versions de l¿outil.JRC.DDG.H.3-Global environement monitorin

Assessing land cover changes in the Brazilian Cerrado between 1990 and 2010 using a remote sensing sampling approach

We present a remote sensing sampling approach to assess land cover changes between years 1990 and 2010 for the Cerrado biome. Despite the fact that natural vegetation cover of this biome has been heavily converted into agricultural lands over the past decades, there is still a lack of detailed and historical information about vegetation cover changes at the biome scale. The sampling design and image processing techniques were developed by the Joint Research Centre (JRC) Tropical Ecosystem Environment Observation by Satellite (TREES-3) project. A set of 175 regularly distributed sample units (with10 km x 10 km size) located at every full degree confluence point of latitude and longitude were assessed. For each sample unit, (E)TM Landsat images from three target years (1990, 2000 and 2010) were selected, pre-processed, segmented and classified into five land cover classes (Tree Cover - TC, Tree Cover Mosaic - TCM, Other Wooded Land - OWL, Other Land Cover - OLC and Water -W). The results showed that the Cerrado had a net loss of natural vegetation (TC + OWL) of about 12 million hectares between 1990 and 2010, or an average rate of change of -0.6% y-1. However, the rates of change decreased from the first (1990-2000) to the second (2000-2010) decade. By 2010, the percentage of natural vegetation cover remaining in the Cerrado was 47%.JRC.H.3-Forest Resources and Climat

A long-term perspective on deforestation rates in the Brazilian Amazon

Monitoring tropical forest cover and forest cover change is central to biodiversity preservation, terrestrial carbon stocks, essential ecosystem and climate functions, and ultimately, sustainable economic development. The Amazon forest is the Earth’s largest rainforest, and despite intensive studies on current deforestation rates, relatively little is known as to how these compare to historic (pre 1985) deforestation rates. We quantified land cover change between 1975 and 2014 in the so-called Arc of Deforestation of the Brazilian Amazon, covering the southern stretch of the Amazon forest and part of the Cerrado biome. We applied a consistent method that made use of data from Landsat sensors: Multispectral Scanner (MSS), Thematic Mapper (TM), Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus (ETM+) and Operational Land Imager (OLI). We acquired suitable images from the US Geological Survey (USGS) for five epochs: 1975, 1990, 2000, 2010, and 2014. We then performed land cover analysis for each epoch using a systematic sample of 156 sites, each one covering 10 km × 10 km, located at the confluence point of integer degree latitudes and longitudes. An object-based classification of the images was performed with five land cover classes: tree cover, tree cover mosaic, other wooded land, other land cover, and water. The automatic classification results were corrected by visual interpretation, and, when available, by comparison with higher resolution imagery. Our results show a decrease of forest cover of 24.2% in the last 40 years in the Brazilian Arc of Deforestation, with an average yearly net forest cover change rate of -0.71% for the 39 years considered.JRC.H.3 - Forest Resources and Climat

Global tropical forest cover change assessment with medium spatial stellite imagery using a systematic sample grid - data, methods and first results.

At the Joint Research Centre (JRC) of the European Commission, a methodology has been developed to monitor the pan-tropical forest cover with remote sensing data for the years 1990-2000-2005 in Latin America, Southeast Asia and Africa on the basis of over 4000 sample units sample units with a dimension of 20 km by 20 km located at every full latitude and longitude degree confluence. From the Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM) and Enhanced Thematic Mapper (ETM) instruments, images with low cloud impact from the epochs around the years 1990, 2000 and 2005 were selected and subsets covering the sample units were cut-out, pre-processed, segmented and classified in five different land cover classes in order to build global and regional statistics on tropical forest cover change. The data was validated in three steps, internal correction of wrongly classified objects, external (national or regional) expert validation and internal harmonization of the data. In this paper, the data collection and the workflow of the forest cover change assessment for the epochs 1990 and 2000 is presented. Parts of the results for the Brazilian Amazon have been validated by comparing with interpretations of corresponding samples carried out by the Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas Espaciais (INPE), showing a very high correlation. Further, the figure produced by INPE through the PRODES program on gross deforestation for the years 1990-2000 was compared to the figure calculated on basis of the JRC results for the respective area, where the JRC estimate that was ca. 10% higher than the INPE estimate

Global tropical forest cover change assessment with medium spatial satellite imagery using a systematic sample grid – data, methods and first results

At the Joint Research Centre (JRC) of the European Commission, a methodology has been developed to monitor the pan-tropical forest cover with remote sensing data for the years 1990-2000-2005 in Latin America, Southeast Asia and Africa on the basis of over 4000 sample units sample units with a dimension of 20 km by 20 km located at every full latitude and longitude degree confluence. From the Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM) and Enhanced Thematic Mapper (ETM) instruments, images with low cloud impact from the epochs around the years 1990, 2000 and 2005 were selected and subsets covering the sample units were cut-out, pre-processed, segmented and classified in five different land cover classes in order to build global and regional statistics on tropical forest cover change. The data was validated in three steps, internal correction of wrongly classified objects, external (national or regional) expert validation and internal harmonization of the data. In this paper, the data collection and the workflow of the forest cover change assessment for the epochs 1990 and 2000 is presented. Parts of the results for the Brazilian Amazon have been validated by comparing with interpretations of corresponding samples carried out by the Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas Espaciais (INPE), showing a very high correlation. Further, the figure produced by INPE through the PRODES program on gross deforestation for the years 1990-2000 was compared to the figure calculated on basis of the JRC results for the respective area, where the JRC estimate that was ca. 10% higher than the INPE estimate.JRC.DDG.H.3-Global environement monitorin

On the extent of fire-induced forest degradation in Mato Grosso, Brazilian Amazon, in 2000, 2005 and 2010

In this paper we analyse the extent of fire-induced forest degradation in Mato Grosso State, Brazil. We utilise a sample based approach used in a previous pan-tropical deforestation survey to derive information on land cover and burned areas in the two major biomes of Mato Grosso: Amazon and Cerrado. Land cover and burned area are mapped for three years (2000–2005–2010) over 77 sample sites (10 000 ha each) distributed systematically throughout the state which 5 covers 90.337 Mha. Our results indicate continuing forest degradation by fires in the state and potentially increasing fire susceptibility of the Amazon forests, regardless of the decrease in deforestation. 2010 witnessed the most extensive fire induced forest degradation (,300 000 ha) in the forests of the Amazon biome among the study years, regardless of the fact that the fire season was less severe than in 2005. Deforestation in the Amazon biome in Mato Grosso dropped from 590 000 ha year in the 2000–2005 period to 190 000 ha year in the second half of the decade. The findings of this study advocate the inclusion of forest fire effects into carbon accounting initiatives.JRC.H.3-Forest Resources and Climat