Monitoring report of old growth forests changes in the Ukrainian Carpathians for February 2023

In February, we continued monitoring old growth forests using the latest published Sentinel-2 satellite images.

The available Sentinel-2 optical images for the period of February 2023 were not suitable for the study of the entire area that was planned to be analyzed (Fig. 1). Also, these images were unsuitable for monitoring due to the presence of snow cover in the Carpathians.

Fig. 1. Sentinel-2 satellite images of particularly valuable areas in February.

We used Sentinel-1 satellite radar images as an alternative way to monitor old growth forests in February. Because Sentinel-1 images are weather-independent and able to penetrate clouds.

However, the image is a composite and it is impossible to calculate vegetation indices based on it, so a visual analysis of the areas for loss of forest cover was carried out (Fig.2).

 Fig. 2. Areas of old growth forests (red color) on the synthetic radar image for February.

For monitoring, 1,099 plots with an area of 12,120.1 hectares have been determined, which is 70.1% of the total number of old growth forests.

Monitoring is carried out by visual analysis as accurately as the resolution of radar images allows. The images we analyzed in February do not provide enough information.

No violations of the forest cover were detected in the inspected areas.

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 Monitoring report of old growth forests changes in the Ukrainian Carpathians for October 2022

Monitoring report of old growth forests changes in the Ukrainian Carpathians for September 2022

Monitoring report of old growth forests changes in the Ukrainian Carpathians for August 2022

Monitoring report of old growth forests changes in the Ukrainian Carpathians for July 2022

Monitoring report of old growth forests changes in the Ukrainian Carpathians for June 2022

Monitoring report of old growth forests changes in the Ukrainian Carpathians for May 2022

Monitoring report of old growth forests changes in the Ukrainian Carpathians for February-March 2022

Monitoring report of old growth forests changes in the Ukrainian Carpathians for January 2022