Global Forest Change 2000-2024

This dataset provides maps of global tree cover extent, loss, and gain for the period from 2000 to 2024. The dataset is divided into 10x10 degree tiles with a spatial resolution of 1 arc-second per pixel, or approximately 30 meters per pixel at the equator. Derived from time-series analysis of Landsat images, the dataset includes information on:

<br><div>Tree canopy cover for year 2000 (treecover2000)

Tree cover in the year 2000, defined as canopy closure for all vegetation taller than 5m in height. Encoded as a percentage per output grid cell, in the range 0-100.

<br></div><div>Global forest cover gain (2000-2021) (gain)

Forest gain during the period 2000-2012, defined as the inverse of loss, or a non-forest to forest change entirely within the study period. Encoded as either 1 (gain) or 0 (no gain).

<br></div><div>Year of gross forest cover loss event (lossyear)

Forest loss during the period 2000-2024, defined as a stand-replacement disturbance, or a change from a forest to non-forest state. Encoded as either 0 (no loss) or else a value in the range 1-20, representing loss detected primarily in the year 2001-2024, respectively.

<br></div><div>Data mask (datamask)

Three values representing areas of no data (0), mapped land surface (1), and persistent water bodies (2) based on 2000-2012.

<br></div><div>Circa year 2000 Landsat 7 cloud-free image composite (first)

Reference multispectral imagery from the first available year, typically 2000. If no cloud-free observations were available for year 2000, imagery was taken from the closest year with cloud-free data, within the range 1999-2012.

<br></div><div>Circa year 2024 Landsat cloud-free image composite (last)

Reference multispectral imagery from the last available year, typically 2024. If no cloud-free observations were available for the year 2024, imagery was taken from the closest year with cloud-free data.</div>

IdentificationAbout this resource

Alternate Identifier: 37ed544d-6e02-411b-af7e-9df9e4384413

Publication Date: 2013-11-15

Title: Global Forest Change 2000-2024

Short Name: Global Forest Change

Abstract

<br><div>Tree canopy cover for year 2000 (treecover2000)

Tree cover in the year 2000, defined as canopy closure for all vegetation taller than 5m in height. Encoded as a percentage per output grid cell, in the range 0-100.

<br></div><div>Global forest cover gain (2000-2021) (gain)

Forest gain during the period 2000-2012, defined as the inverse of loss, or a non-forest to forest change entirely within the study period. Encoded as either 1 (gain) or 0 (no gain).

<br></div><div>Year of gross forest cover loss event (lossyear)

<br></div><div>Data mask (datamask)

Three values representing areas of no data (0), mapped land surface (1), and persistent water bodies (2) based on 2000-2012.

<br></div><div>Circa year 2000 Landsat 7 cloud-free image composite (first)

<br></div><div>Circa year 2024 Landsat cloud-free image composite (last)

Dataset Language: English

Dataset Creator: University of Maryland - Matthew Hansen (Professor)

Dataset Creator: University of Maryland - Peter Potapov (Research Professor)

Dataset Creator: Google - Rebecca Moore (Software engineer)

Dataset Creator: Google - Matt Hancher (Engineering Lead)

Dataset Creator: University of Maryland - Svetlana Turubanova (Assistant Research Scientist)

Dataset Creator: University of Maryland - Alexandra Tyukavina (Associate Research Professor)

Dataset Creator: Google - David Thau ()

Dataset Creator: State University of New York - Stephen Stehman (Distinguished Teaching Professor)

Dataset Creator: Woods Hole Research Center - Scott Goetz (Senior Scientist)

Dataset Creator: United States Geological Survey - Thomas Loveland (Chief Scientist)

Dataset Creator: South Dakota State University - Anil Kommareddy (IT Systems Analyst)

Dataset Creator: South Dakota State University - Alexey Egorov ()

Dataset Creator: University of Maryland - Louise Chini (Research Assistant Professor)

Dataset Creator: University of Maryland - Chris Justice (Distinguished University Professor)

Dataset Creator: University of Maryland - John Townshend (Emeritus Professor)

Metadata Provider: SIB Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics - Chiara Bortoluzzi (Data Manager)

Dataset Contact: University of Maryland - Matthew Hansen (Professor)

Keywords (None)

Tree cover
Forest gain
Forest loss
Forest change

Geographic Coverage

Geographic Description: Global

Bounding Box

West Bounding Coordinate: -180

East Bounding Coordinate: 180

North Bounding Coordinate: 90

South Bounding Coordinate: -90

Bounding Altitudes

Minimum

Maximum

Unit

Temporal Coverage

Range of Dates

Begin Date: 2000-01-01

End Date: 2024-12-31

resourceLicensesLicense Information

Intellectual Rights: This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License

Distribution

Online

A brief description of the the content of online URL.: Tree canopy cover for the year 2000

URL: https://storage.googleapis.com/earthenginepartners-hansen/GFC-2024-v1.12/treecover2000.txt

Distribution

Online

A brief description of the the content of online URL.: Global forest cover gain over the period 2000-2012

URL: https://storage.googleapis.com/earthenginepartners-hansen/GFC-2024-v1.12/gain.txt

Distribution

Online

A brief description of the the content of online URL.: Year of gross forest cover loss event

URL: https://storage.googleapis.com/earthenginepartners-hansen/GFC-2024-v1.12/lossyear.txt

Distribution

Online

A brief description of the the content of online URL.: Data mask for the period 2000-2012

URL: https://storage.googleapis.com/earthenginepartners-hansen/GFC-2024-v1.12/datamask.txt

Distribution

Online

A brief description of the the content of online URL.: Circa year 2000 Landsat 7 cloud-free image composite (first year)

URL: https://storage.googleapis.com/earthenginepartners-hansen/GFC-2024-v1.12/first.txt

Distribution

Online

A brief description of the the content of online URL.: Circa year 2024 Landsat cloud-free image composite (last year)

URL: https://storage.googleapis.com/earthenginepartners-hansen/GFC-2024-v1.12/last.txt

• Project

Title: Global Forest Change 2000-2024

Abstract: The Global Land Analysis and Discovery (GLAD) laboratory at the University of Maryland, in partnership with Global Forest Watch (GFW), provides annually updated global-scale forest loss data, derived using Landsat time-series imagery. These data are a relative indicator of spatio-temporal trends in forest loss dynamics globally.

Personnel

Organization Name: University of Maryland

Individual Name

Given Name

Surname

Position Name

Personnel

Organization Name: Global Forest Watch (GFW)

Individual Name

Given Name

Surname

Position Name

• Method

Method Step

Description: The study analyzed global land areas (excluding Antarctica and some Arctic islands), covering 128.8 million km², equivalent to 143 billion Landsat 30m pixels. Trees were defined as vegetation taller than 5 meters. Forest loss was defined as a stand-replacement disturbance, while forest gain was the inverse of loss, or a non-forest to forest change. Gain was related to percent tree crown cover densities greater than 50% and reported as a 12 year total. Files are named as follows: Hansen_GFC-2024-v1.12_[variable_name]_[coordinate]_[coordinate].tif

Citation: Hansen, M. C., P. V. Potapov, R. Moore, M. Hancher, S. A. Turubanova, A. Tyukavina, D. Thau, S. V. Stehman, S. J. Goetz, T. R. Loveland, A. Kommareddy, A. Egorov, L. Chini, C. O. Justice, and J. R. G. Townshend. 2013. High-Resolution Global Maps of 21st-Century Forest Cover Change. Science 342 (15 November): 850-53. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1244693.

Instrumentation

Instrument

Software

Title

Version: 1.12

• Data Table

Name: treecover2000

Physical

Data Format

Externally Defined Format

Format Name: GeoTIFF

• Data Table

Name: gain

Physical

Data Format

Externally Defined Format

Format Name: GeoTIFF

• Data Table

Name: lossyear

Physical

Data Format

Externally Defined Format

Format Name: GeoTIFF

• Data Table

Name: datamask

Physical

Data Format

Externally Defined Format

Format Name: GeoTIFF

• Data Table

Name: first

Physical

Data Format

Externally Defined Format

Format Name: GeoTIFF

• Data Table

Name: last

Physical

Data Format

Externally Defined Format

Format Name: GeoTIFF

Default

IdentificationAbout this resource

Geographic Coverage

Bounding Box

Bounding Altitudes

Temporal Coverage

Range of Dates

resourceLicensesLicense Information

Distribution

Online

Distribution

Online

Distribution

Online

Distribution

Online

Distribution

Online

Distribution

Online

Project

• Project

Personnel

Individual Name

Personnel

Individual Name

Methods

• Method

Method Step

Instrumentation

Software

Data Tables

• Data Table

Physical

Data Format

Externally Defined Format

• Data Table

Physical

Data Format

Externally Defined Format

• Data Table

Physical

Data Format

Externally Defined Format

• Data Table

Physical

Data Format

Externally Defined Format

• Data Table

Physical

Data Format

Externally Defined Format

• Data Table

Physical

Data Format

Externally Defined Format