GMES Service Element for Forest Monitoring; Achievements in the European Context and Prospects for Users in Other Nations

摘要

The Forest Monitoring Service Element of the Global Monitoring for Environmental and Security initiative aims to provide improved forest monitoring (based on space technologies) for the European and global environment. The Service Portfolio provided information on yearly carbon balance, forest disturbance data as well as information for practical forest and land use management operations for both EU and developing countries. The services were well appraised by the users and results indicate a marked improvement in forest management as well as improved capacity to fulfill reporting obligations for international and national policies. Thus an expanded phase is being developed.