The decadal forest change maps represent a spatially explicit, quantitative attempt to document forest clearing in the Congo Basin and is meant as a baseline estimate for future monitoring of Congo Basin forest resources. The work done by the University of Maryland (UMD), South Dakota State University (SDSU), and NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center, is in support of the Central African Regional Program for the Environment (CARPE). These data are appropriate as inputs to a broad range of socio-economic and environmental analyses including habitat analyses, carbon cycling and land use studies.

Using high resolution Landsat Thematic Mapper datasets from circa 1990 to circa 2000 for this mapping effort, two time frames have been defined. Time 1 represents satellite imagery obtained from Landsat 4 and 5 missions during the 1980's and 1990's. Time 2 represents imagery predominantly from the Landsat 7 mission during the early 2000's.
These data allow for a decadal study (circa 1990 to circa 2000) of forest change over the basin. The product depicts forest cover and forest cover change from circa 1990 to circa 2000. Current work is being undertaken to update this map for a 2005 forest cover depiction.

This is the first version of the product and subsequent versions will be produced when new, improved input data are obtained.

Users of the data are encouraged to provide feedback that will be used to improve future map products.

Currently available are products for 7 of the 12 priority landscapes, the remaining 5 landscapes will follow.

Decadal Change Forest Mapping products are available for:

• Sangha Tri-National Landscape
• Lake Télé-Lake Tumba Landscape
• Salonga-Lukenie-Sankuru Landscape
• Maringa-Lopori-Wamba Landscape
• Maiko-Tayna-Kahuzi-Biega Landscape
  
• Ituri-Epulu-Aru Landscape
• Virunga Landscape
  

To access and download the product suites, go to the

Decadal Forest Change Mapping Project page or the

CARPE Data Explorer to download individual products.