Earth Observation for Forestry in Developing Countries

The UK Space Agency International Partnership Programme (IPP) has recently published a reports that outlines how the space industry can help to address major challenges confronting forestry, and deliver better management to improve production and protect nature on a global scale.

We contributed to this report, which features our IPP project "Forests 2020", as a case study. It is an introduction to how and why the space industry has a critical role to play in addressing major challenges confronting the forestry sector in developing economies. The report covers different types of space solutions that currently exist for forestry, as well as the use cases and business models. It provides an outline of the steps to take once the opportunity is understood – with guidance on: accessing, processing and analysing satellite capabilities; organisations to work with; and where to find further resources.

To find out more about Forests 2020 you can visit the project website.

The primary audience for this document is the development and forestry sector, and it is written as an introductory primer on the role of space in forestry. You can find the full report here.

The UK Space Agency International Partnership Programme (IPP) is a 5-year, £152 million programme funded by the Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF). GCRF is a £1.5 billion fund which forms part of the UK Government’s Official Development Assistance (ODA) commitment. IPP uses the UK Space sector’s research and innovation strengths to deliver a sustainable, economic and societal benefit to undeveloped nations and developing economies.