Satellite data for Germany’s forests in crisis
Our Earth observation team has developed EO Wald – a freely accessible web service providing interactive maps of forest conditions across Germany at a spatial resolution of ten metres. Based on satellite data, the maps are designed to support the forestry and timber industries as well as public authorities in sustainable forest management.
In recent years, large swathes of Germany’s forests have died off due to storms, periods of drought, extreme heat and insect damage. Since autumn 2017, timber has been felled across more than 960,000 hectares as a result of forest damage and planned harvesting – equivalent to approximately 8.5 percent of Germany’s total forest area. The extent of this damage has nearly doubled since 2021 – a worrying trend that is likely to continue in the coming years.
To support Germany’s forestry and timber industries, we use satellite data to map canopy loss across the entire country. EO Wald shows the loss of forest cover since September 2017 on a monthly basis at a resolution of ten metres. For forest management purposes, it is essential to understand both the timing and scale of losses, as well as to track developments over longer periods.
The interactive maps provided by EO Wald can help the timber industry, local authorities and policymakers respond promptly to events and take appropriate reforestation measures. The goal is to enable economically viable and sustainable forest development. This is also significant in the context of climate change, as healthy forests absorb carbon and are more resilient to climatic shifts.
Link:
German Aerospace Center (Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt; DLR)
Earth Observation Center (EOC)
E-Mail contact-dlr@DLR.de
