Images related to When a Definition Makes a Forest Disappear

Is That a Forest? That Depends on How You Define It
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Is That a Forest? That Depends on How You Define It

Differences in how international and national institutions classify forests can lead to large discrepancies in measurements of land cover.

Published Nov 17, 2015

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A Polish Royal Forest
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A Polish Royal Forest

Since the mid-1200s, the state has controlled Niepołomice Forest, which contains some of the last pockets of old-growth forest in Poland.

Published Nov 29, 2013

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Cambodia’s Forests Are Disappearing
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Cambodia’s Forests Are Disappearing

Forests are being turned into rubber plantations, farmland, and timber at a rapid rate.

Published Jan 10, 2017

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Forest Changes in British Columbia
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Forest Changes in British Columbia

In British Columbia’s Coast Mountains, some 200 kilometers (125 miles) inland from the Pacific Ocean, rivers and lakes cut tortuous paths through rugged terrain. The peaks and valleys in this region are covered with forest, but the forest has changed over the years due to human use and insect pests, in particular, the mountain pine beetle.

Published Oct 12, 2008

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Mapping Forest Loss with Landsat
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Mapping Forest Loss with Landsat

The opening of the Landsat data archive and a partnership with Google has allowed researchers to track the fine details of forest change around the world.

Published May 7, 2015

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Measuring the Earth’s Dry Forests
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Measuring the Earth’s Dry Forests

Forests in drylands are much more extensive than previously reported.

Published Aug 10, 2017

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Tracking Forest Change in Canada
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Tracking Forest Change in Canada

Researchers analyzed 25 years of Landsat data to establish where forests had burned or been cut.

Published Jun 27, 2017

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Spotting the Spotted Owl: 30 Years of Forest Disturbance
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Spotting the Spotted Owl: 30 Years of Forest Disturbance

Wildfires make a significant mark on the bird’s nesting and roosting habitat.

Published Dec 23, 2019

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Changing Forest Cover Since the Soviet Era
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Changing Forest Cover Since the Soviet Era

Political change in Eastern Europe and Russia has left its mark on forests in the region.

Published Jul 16, 2015

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A Living Relic: Madeira’s Laurissilva Forest
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A Living Relic: Madeira’s Laurissilva Forest

The deep green forest that covers the northern mountains of Madeira Island is one of the last remnants of an ancient forest that once covered much of Europe and North Africa.

Published May 15, 2010

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Forest Canopy Heights Across the United States
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Forest Canopy Heights Across the United States

From the Pacific Northwest—home of the towering redwoods&mdash to the Southern Appalachians, this map shows forest canopy heights across the United States.

Published Jul 22, 2010

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Forest Change in Paraguay
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Forest Change in Paraguay

Between 1990 and 2000, Paraguay lost about 13 percent of its forests, including nearly 40 percent of the Atlantic Forest.

Published Nov 26, 2009

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Gishwati Forest, Rwanda
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Gishwati Forest, Rwanda

Gishwati Forest suffered severe deforestation, evident in these true-color images.

Published Jun 9, 2009

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The Human Dimension of Thetford Forest
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The Human Dimension of Thetford Forest

To celebrate Earth Day, Earth Observatory released a series of five puzzlers. Except for Thetford forest, all showed landscapes relatively untouched by human society.

Published Apr 27, 2013

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