INPE experience and challenges INPE experience and challenges in mapping and monitoring in mapping and monitoring

deforestation in the Braziliandeforestation in the BrazilianAmazôniaAmazônia

Contribution of ALOS/PALSARContribution of ALOS/PALSAR

ALOS/PALSAR in theALOS/PALSAR in the AmazôniaAmazônia

Raimundo AlmeidaRaimundo Almeida--FilhoFilho

1000 km

AP

AM PA

ACRO

MT

TO

MA

RR

ALOS/PALSAR in theALOS/PALSAR in the AmazôniaAmazônia

BrazilianAmazônia

Western Europe

Orbital remote sensing is the only effective mean to map Orbital remote sensing is the only effective mean to map and monitor deforestation: and monitor deforestation: PRODESPRODES and and DETERDETER ProjectsProjects

Brazilian Amazônia covers approximately 5 mi of sq km(~ 80% domain tropical rain forests)

PRODESPRODES ProjectProject(www.obt.inpe.br/prodes)

Conducted by INPE since 1988, produces the annual gross deforestation map of the Brazilian

Amazônia, based on Landsat-TM images

ALOS/PALSAR in the AmazôniaALOS/PALSAR in the Amazônia

ForestDeforestationCerrado

1000 km

Itaituba

Santarém

TucuruíAltamira

Arch

Alenquer

Land cover Map(PRODES, 2003)

ALOS/PALSAR in the AmazôniaALOS/PALSAR in the Amazônia

Defore

statio

n

ALOS/PALSAR in the AmazôniaALOS/PALSAR in the Amazônia

Forest Pasture Soybean

Cycle of the Deforestation

Source: VEJA

91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 00 01 02 03 2004

100

160

200

Area with soybean(Brazil)

Source: IPEA

3.6 % / year 13.8 % / year

1991=100

55

60

65

70

75

80

85

90

95

100

105

1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003

- mill

ions

of

head

s --

Amazonian cattle stock

Source: IPEA

Beef & soybean: commodities for the international market

DETERDETER ProjectProject((www.obt.inpe.br/deter))

Conducted by INPE since last year. It works like an alert system to detect incipient

deforestation in a quasi-real time

•• MODIS images (Terra & MODIS images (Terra & AcquaAcqua), at 250m spatial ), at 250m spatial resolution and ~ 3resolution and ~ 3--day coverage cycle;day coverage cycle;

•• WFI images (CBERS), at 260m spatial resolution and WFI images (CBERS), at 260m spatial resolution and 33--day coverage cycle. day coverage cycle.

ALOS/PALSAR in theALOS/PALSAR in the AmazôniaAmazônia

Previous Deforestation

April 22 – May 07Deforestation 2004

May 21May 24 – June 08

Forest

20 km

ALOS/PALSAR in the AmazôniaALOS/PALSAR in the Amazônia

DETER map showing deforestation in different dates during 2004

Cloud cover highly challenges requirements for an operational deforestation surveillance program at an

Amazonian scale based only on optical data

Landsat-TM Cloud Cover Frequency

100%

<10%

Along the Arch of Deforestation, at least one free-cloud scene has been

obtained each year

ALOS/PALSAR in theALOS/PALSAR in the AmazôniaAmazônia

Radar data are strongly necessary to complement optical data and ALOS/PALSAR may contribute to improve contents of PRODES and DETER Projects.

Landsat-TM Cloud Cover Frequency

100%

<10%

ALOS/PALSAR in theALOS/PALSAR in the AmazôniaAmazônia

ALOS/PALSAR Prototype Area

ALOS/PALSAR in the AmazôniaALOS/PALSAR in the Amazônia

Prototype area covers the entire Brazilian Amazônia, including

some particular case-study sites

• To evaluate ALOS/PALSAR mosaics to map gross deforestation and estimate deforestation rates to support PRODES and DETER Projects;

• To use ALOS/PALSAR mosaics to map deforestation in areas of frequent cloud cover;

• To investigate ALOS/PALSAR data to map areas of selective logging and areas of bamboo forest;

• To use ALOS/PALSAR polarimetric data to estimate forest vertical biomass distribution;

• To use ALOS/PALSAR mosaics to monitor forest clearing and vegetation regrowth along the Urucu-Coari-Manaus Pipeline.

Objectives in the Prototype Area

ALOS/PALSAR in theALOS/PALSAR in the AmazôniaAmazônia

MainMain output products• Maps of gross deforestation over the entire Brazilian

Amazônia and estimation of deforestation rates, during the years of ALOS/PALSAR activity;

• Maps in areas of selective logging over the entire Brazilian Amazônia, during the years of ALOS/PALSAR activity;

• Maps of forest clearing and regeneration along the Urucu-Coari-Manaus Pipeline;

(All these products will be included in INPE´s web site)

ALOS/PALSAR in the AmazôniaALOS/PALSAR in the Amazônia