GEO Forest Observation Community of Practice: Identifying Critical Earth Observations Michael Brady, Canadian Forest Service/GOFC-GOLD GEO User Interface Committee 13 th Meeting November 2009, Washington

All GEOSS societal benefits areas include land and forest observations Climate Land change & GHG emis. Water+energy exchanges Climate Land change & GHG emis. Water+energy exchanges Weather Land–surface climate int. Vegetation characteristics Weather Land–surface climate int. Vegetation characteristics Health Land change / disease vectors / boundary cond. Health Land change / disease vectors / boundary cond. Disasters Fire monitoring Land degradation assess. Disasters Fire monitoring Land degradation assess. Agriculture Cultivation pattern+forestry Land degradations Agriculture Cultivation pattern+forestry Land degradations Ecosystems Change environment cond. Services + accounting Ecosystems Change environment cond. Services + accounting Energy Bio-energy/biomass Wind/hydro power assess. Energy Bio-energy/biomass Wind/hydro power assess. Water Water resources / quality Land+water use pattern Water Water resources / quality Land+water use pattern Biodiversity Ecosystem characteristics Habitats + fragmentation Biodiversity Ecosystem characteristics Habitats + fragmentation

The GEOSS for forests is incomplete Combining remote and in situ / NFI type observations is under utilised Engage user communities and networks not yet involved in GEO and earth observation Lack of co-ordinated long term observation plans Earth observation challenges

8 Main forest tasks 1.Forest Mapping and Change Monitoring 2.Global Land Cover 3.Virtual Constellations-Land Surface Imaging sub task 4.Implementation of a Fire Warning System at Global Level 5.Key Terrestrial Observations for Climate 6.Regional Networks for Ecosystems 7.Communities of Practice 8.Forest Carbon Tracking (new)

GEO Community of Practice for Forest Observations US Provide a forum for communication and coordination of the teams involved in the GEO work plan tasks related to forest observations 2.Identify, gather, and seek agreement on user community requirements for forest observations, their present status and gaps to be filled 3.Advise the User Interface Committee, other CoPs and GEO on matters relating to forest observations and related societal benefits, and on cross-cutting issues of interest 4.Support the forest observation community with information about activities and plans in the GEO process

Role of Global Observing Systems: GTOS/GOFC-GOLD Global Observation for Forest and Land Cover Dynamics is a coordinated international effort to ensure a continuous program of space-based and on-the- ground forest and land cover observations A network of participants implementing coordinated research, demonstration and operational projects A vision to share data, information and knowledge, leading to informed action and decision support A long term process of building an improved match between Observations, Data Products and User Needs A science panel of the Global Terrestrial Observing System A strong contributor to the GEO forest- related tasks and mechanisms

Forest Observation User Communities (1) Global Change Science (2) Timber, Fuel and Fiber (incl. agro forestry) (3) Watershed Protection (4) Biodiversity and Conservation (5) FCCC and other Environmental Agreements (6) Recreation and Tourism (7) Sustainable Forest Management (8) Forest Perturbations and Protection (fire, insects, disease)

Current & future states of critical forest observation priorities

Critical Observations 33rd International Symposium on Remote Sensing of Environment, TS May 2009, Stresa, Italy

Continuing the process of identifying critical observations Forest Carbon Tracking CL-09-03b A New GEO sub-Task in WP Demonstrate to climate negotiators that coordinated Earth Observations can provide the basis for reliable information services of suitable consistency, accuracy and continuity to support Forest Carbon Tracking, leading to eventual establishment of a network of national forest carbon monitoring systems Leads: Australia (Department of Climate Change & CSIRO) Japan (JAXA) Norway (NSC) Canada (NRCan, CSA) CEOS (NSC, CSIRO, JAXA, ESA) FAO GTOS (GOFC-GOLD) EC JRC

Next Steps Consolidate participation in Forest CoP amongst 8 forest tasks Encourage registration of forest data and EO systems Consolidate GEO FCoP web page Continue with UIC process and reporting; collaborate with Agriculture Monitoring CoP to fully address Agriculture SBA

Recent and upcoming forest events GEOSS in the Americas Symposium, Panama, Sep 08 GOFC-GOLD Land Cover Symposium, Germany, Oct 08 1 st GEO Forest Symposium, Brazil, Nov 08 Task meetings at CEOS SIT-23, USA, Feb 09 Task workshop, Australia, Mar 09 Forest workshop & papers at ISRSE, Italy, May 09 Task contributions at UNFCCC SBSTA, Germany, Jun 09 GOFC-GOLD Biomass Workshop, USA, Jun 09 2 nd GEO Forest Symposium, Thailand, Jul 09 Meetings with Princes Rainforest Project & Google, UK, Oct 09 GEO Plenary, USA, Nov 09 UNFCCC CoP, Denmark, Dec 09 Forest Carbon Tracking Data Summit, Apr 10

Thank you, Questions? GEO Forest Community of Practice Point of contact: Michael Brady, Canadian Forest Service