{"id":2681,"date":"2025-04-30T12:20:29","date_gmt":"2025-04-30T11:20:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/rainfor.org\/?p=2681"},"modified":"2025-05-02T16:55:13","modified_gmt":"2025-05-02T15:55:13","slug":"a-new-space-age-for-forests-but-groundwork-still-matters","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/rainfor.org\/es\/a-new-space-age-for-forests-but-groundwork-still-matters\/","title":{"rendered":"A new space age for tropical forests \u2013 but field-workers matter more than ever"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

A new space age for tropical forests \u2013 but field-workers matter more than ever<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n
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\"Biomass
Biomass satellite. Credit ESA\/ATG medialab<\/strong><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

A new era of forest monitoring has quite literally taking off, ushering in what scientists are calling the \u2018forest space age\u2019. On April 29, ESA launched its revolutionary Biomass mission, the first satellite to carry a P-band radar into space \u2013 technology that is set to transform how we understand forests and the carbon they store. Along with other space agencies\u2019 instruments already in orbit or soon to be launched, there has never been so many \u2018eyes in the sky\u2019 focused on forests.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yet, the work of people on the ground \u2013often in the most remote and challenging forest regions \u2013 also remains essential.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The ESA Biomass satellite\u2019s P-band synthetic aperture radar is capable of slicing through even the densest forest canopies to measure tree trunks, branches, and stems \u2013 which is where most forest carbon is stored. These measurements act as a proxy for carbon storage, the assessment of which is critical to better understanding Earth\u2019s carbon cycle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Soon, it will be joined by the US\u2013India NISAR mission, an L-band synthetic aperture instrument designed to provide complementary data. Together with NASA\u2019s GEDI lidar system already aboard the International Space Station, the Copernicus Sentinel-1 C-band radar mission and other missions, together they offer an unprecedented view of Earth\u2019s forests.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Meanwhile, ESA\u2019s Climate Change Initiative\u2019s Biomass Project<\/a> uses long-term data from these different sources to provide a transparent, consistent picture of the state of the world\u2019s forests and assessment of annual biomass change over time. This information is used to understand both carbon cycle and forest dynamics and, when combined with climate models, contribute to improved prediction of future climate change.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"Abel
The photograph highlights the challenges of collecting ground measurement in some forest environments. Abel Monteagudo and field team in Tiputini, Equador.
Photo Credit: R. Brienen (University of Leeds)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Despite their sophistication, spaceborne instruments do not directly measure forest biomass or biodiversity. Ground validation is essential \u2013 especially in tropical forests, where the sheer diversity of plant species and ecosystems defies easy classification from space.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cEven the most advanced satellite can\u2019t tell a mahogany from a Brazil nut tree without help from the ground, and there are more than ten thousand tree species in the Amazon alone,\u201d said Professor Oliver Phillips from the University of Leeds, who contributes validation efforts with colleagues<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is where the global network of forest scientists, botanists and technicians comes in \u2013 many of whom work in challenging, under-resourced and often dangerous conditions. Long-term, on-the-ground measurements are needed to verify satellite readings, ensure accuracy and maintain consistent records over time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To support this vital work, researchers from across the forestry, ecology, and remote-sensing fields launched GEO-TREES<\/a>, a global initiative aimed at uniting these communities and promoting fairer, more equitable scientific partnerships.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ESA\u2019s Biomass Mission Manager, Klaus Scipal, explains, \u201cThe aim of GEO-TREES is to establish a sustainable funding mechanism to support ecologists and experts working in the forest to take the tree-by-tree measurements that are needed to validate satellite data products.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cGEO-TREES will implement rigorous ground-validation protocols and push for major investments in the people behind the data \u2013 particularly in the Global South, where much of the world\u2019s biodiversity resides.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSatellites, such as our Biomass, offer a wealth of information to understand our changing world, but we must not forget those working tirelessly on the ground taking in situ measurements, often in difficult conditions, who allow us to have confidence in the data returned from space.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ESA\u2019s Director of Earth Observation Programmes, Simonetta Cheli, added, \u201cThe dedicated teams working in the field to collect vital ground-truth data are important to the success of our missions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cTheir contributions help ensure that our Earth Explorer missions deliver outstanding science \u2013 science that lies at the core of our FutureEO programme<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Read the ESA article:<\/strong> https:\/\/www.esa.int\/Applications\/Observing_the_Earth\/FutureEO\/Biomass\/A_new_space_age_for_forests_but_groundwork_still_matters<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\"Measurements<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

The photograph shows measurements being taken of a tree in forest close to Nova Xavantina, Mato Grosso, Brazil. In this case, a tricky balancing act. Credit: Bia Marimon.<\/em><\/p><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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\"Measuring<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Accurately measuring and identifying trees in tropical forests needs skill and courage. To measure the diameter of a giant Ceiba in Colombia\u2019s Pacific Rainforest, three researchers from partner network \u2018Col-Tree\u2019 climbed 12 metres. This is the most practical, accurate way to measure large trees when there is no power and scanners are not deployable.<\/em> Credit: P. Kindler<\/p><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/section>\n\n\n\n

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<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

A new space age for tropical forests \u2013 but field-workers matter more than ever A new era of forest monitoring has quite literally taking off, ushering in what scientists are calling the \u2018forest space age\u2019. On April 29, ESA launched its revolutionary Biomass mission, the first satellite to carry a P-band radar into space \u2013 … Leer m\u00e1s<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":597,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"_editorskit_title_hidden":false,"_editorskit_reading_time":0,"_editorskit_is_block_options_detached":false,"_editorskit_block_options_position":"{}","footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2681","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-news"],"acf":[],"gutentor_comment":0,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/rainfor.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2681","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/rainfor.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/rainfor.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rainfor.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/597"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rainfor.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2681"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/rainfor.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2681\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/rainfor.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2681"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rainfor.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2681"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rainfor.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2681"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}