Inter-Comparison of Forest Cover Areas in Panama Based on Optical and SAR Observations

Abstract:

According to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (UN FAO), approximately 43.7% of Panama is covered by rain forests, some of the most biodiverse areas of the world. Panama is a signatory to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and has been working towards SDG 15.2.1 – “Progress towards sustainable forest management which involves monitoring changes in forest cover (FC) area in Panama and reporting to the UN FAO.

In support of this project, we have developed FC detection techniques based on optical (Landsat 8-OLI, Sentinel 2-MSI), and SAR (ALOS-PALSAR and Sentinel-1) observations. We have produced FC data sets based on individual and combined optical observations, and also based on combined optical and SAR observations for Panama. Our data sets include years between 2007 and 2019. In addition, we have multi-year FC products derived from MODIS and Landsat, previously compared to a validated high-resolution FC classification from Panama (derived from commercial satellite data and validated with in situ observations). Our present study focuses on an inter-comparison of FC obtained from these various data sets in Panama, with particular attention to protected areas and areas under long term forest management plans. In this presentation, we will provide a synthesis of the inter-comparison of FC area pertaining to SDG 15.2.1, including inter-annual FC changes, as obtained from optical and SAR data sets.