In a collaborative effort, Meta and the World Resources Institute have launched a global map of tree canopy height with 1-meter resolution. This breakthrough represents a significant step forward in forest monitoring and terrestrial biodiversity management.
Importance of Forests Forests are vital for terrestrial biodiversity and play a crucial role in capturing carbon dioxide. However, there is a lack of detailed data on dynamic and dispersed forest structures such as agroforestry systems, and forests in drylands and alpine regions, which together make up more than a third of the world’s forests.
Technological Innovation in Forest Mapping The new global map provides the capability to detect individual trees worldwide, which is crucial for improving the spatial resolution of data on forest structures. This level of detail is essential for effective management of forest carbon and other ecosystem services.
Using Artificial Intelligence By utilizing artificial intelligence models that analyze high-resolution satellite imagery, researchers can now access data and models under licenses that allow for commercial use. This open approach has the potential to increase transparency and accountability in carbon markets and other conservation and restoration applications.
Implications for Climate Action Forest-based carbon management has emerged as a major source of carbon credits in the voluntary carbon market. Improving the monitoring and verification of forest-based carbon credits is crucial to achieving the goals of the Paris Climate Agreement.
Conclusions The ability to map tree canopy height globally and with great detail is an advancement that could transform forest conservation and restoration. Meta and the World Resources Institute are democratizing access to this technology, enabling more effective monitoring and helping to mitigate climate change through nature-based solutions.
Call to Action Learn more about how artificial intelligence is aiding in forest conservation and participate in global efforts to protect our forests. Visit the resources available on AWS, Google Earth Engine, GitHub, and paper for more information.