CATHALAC and NASA in collaboration with the Ministry of Natural Resources and the Environment of Belize have completed a remote sensing-based assessment of deforestation and forest cover dynamics of Belize (1.26MB PDF). The study has been validated, and covers 1980 through 2010 (it includes mapping of 1980, 1989, 1994, 2000, 2004, and 2010).The abovementioned technical paper provides pretty detailed instructions on how to go about doing such a study, and the source and the output data as well as the spectral signatures generated and used in this study are also available. Theoretically, if the forests of other parts of the Caribbean reflect light in similar ways to Belize's forests, the self-same spectral signatures can be used for mapping elsewhere in the Caribbean, for instance.
CATHALAC intends to continue collaboration with Belize's Ministry of Natural Resources and the Environment (specifically specialists at the Land Information Centre and the Forest Department), to catalyze regular, sustained space-based monitoring of Belize's forests. CATHALAC also hopes that the technical paper stimulates the interest of other folks in the Caribbean to pick up something like this - they show that the barriers to conducting such studies are small. Thanks E. Cherrington.
Update: (Thanks K. Lance) Based on this analysis of Landsat satellite imagery for 1980, 1989, 1994, 2000, 2004, and 2010, the validated, national-level assessment indicates that Belize's forest cover has declined from 75.9% in 1980 to 62.7%. Average annual deforestation was estimated at 0.6%, equaling the clearing of some 24,835 acres (9,982 hectares) of forest per year.
Posted byVijayat1:51 AM
Email ThisBlogThis!Share to TwitterShare to FacebookShare to Google BuzzLabels:Belize,Forest,Land Use Change,Remote SensingReactions: 2comments: 
Dr. Edward Wallingtonsaid...This is excellent. It is great to see a wide ranging study, and commitment to future research, and providing management information for operational use.
For interest, we undertook a study in the Rio Bravo Conservation and Management Area in Belize, using SAR to map vegetation, and to estimate height. See here for further info: http://www.rics.org/site/download_feed.aspx?fileID=3493&fileExtension=PDF
Will read your paper in more detail!
Best regards,
Ed Wallington
Dr. Edward Wallingtonsaid...This is excellent. It is great to see a wide ranging study, and commitment to future research, and providing management information for operational use.
For interest, we undertook a study in the Rio Bravo Conservation and Management Area in Belize, using SAR to map vegetation, and to estimate height. See here for further info: http://www.rics.org/site/download_feed.aspx?fileID=3493&fileExtension=PDF
Will read your paper in more detail!
Best regards,
Ed Wallington
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