Earth Observation for Sustainable Development of Forests (EOSD): project overview

Canada requires a next generation forest measuring and monitoring system that responds to key policy drivers related to climate change and to report upon sustainable forest development of Canada´s forest both nationally and internationally. The Canadian Forest Service, in partnership with the Canadian Space Agency, is using space-based Earth observation (EO) technologies to create products for forest inventory, forest carbon accounting, monitoring sustainable development, and landscape management. The Earth Observation for Sustainable Development of Forests (EOSD) initiative will work in partnership with the Provinces and Territories and develop a land cover map of the forested area of Canada. Research programs are also a component of EOSD to develop techniques for change monitoring, biomass estimates and automated processing to aid in production. Inputs from EOSD will be an important data source in the National Forest Carbon Accounting Framework and will also be used to enhance Canada´s new plot-based National Forest Inventory. Initially EOSD, working with the provinces, territories, universities and industry, will work to develop a national map of the forested land cover of Canada with the long term goal of producing not only land cover maps, but maps of forest change over time, and biomass. The National Forest Information System will be used to integrate and synthesize applicable data and products and make them accessible to a wide range of users through the web.