Summary

More information can be found in the Satelligence Resource Centre.

Satelligence's deforestation analysis methodology integrates a robust forest baseline creation process with advanced change detection algorithms to identify forest loss with high accuracy.

The forest baseline is generated using a hybrid approach that merges curated and harmonized open datasets (e.g., JRC Tropical Moist Forest Layers, UMD primary forest maps) with Satelligence's proprietary data based on forest classification models. These models apply FAO and national forest definitions, categorizing forests into primary, disturbed, regrowth, dry forest, and native vegetation classes.

Open data layers are quality-checked, standardized, and adjusted to remove areas deforested before defined cutoff dates (e.g., 31 Dec 2020). Proprietary commodity plot data, based on mapped EUDR commodities and commodities like sugar cane & coconut, are created using Landsat, Sentinel-1, and Sentinel-2 data, and are added as an additional layer to eliminate false positives, especially in agricultural production landscapes.

Change Detection Algorithms

Satelligence uses two change detection algorithms — one for optical data and one for radar data.

1. Optical Change Detection – STAB

The optical change detection algorithm is called SpatioTemporalAdaptiveBareness (STAB). It uses forest statistics of the entire landscape and compares these to a pixel of interest. If this pixel has much higher bareness (level of bare soil) than all the surrounding forest, the pixel is flagged as deforested.

The advantage of using an algorithm with an adaptive threshold is that it can take seasonality into account, which is the case for many dry tropical forests and savanna such as the Cerrado and Chaco areas in South America.

2. Radar Change Detection – Bayesian Iterative Updating

The radar change detection algorithm is called Bayesian Iterative Updating. This is a statistical method where current observations are compared to historical observations to determine the probability of change.

Satelligence's forest detection methodology ensures temporal consistency, minimizes false positives and negatives, and supports multiple reporting frameworks (EUDR, NDPE, RSPO) for near real-time deforestation monitoring.

Data Sources

Besides using and developing commodity maps (used as a layer to distinguish operational/production areas from forests), Satelligence uses the following data sources to develop their forest baseline:

Data layerSpatial coverageTemporal resolutionSpatial resolution (m)
JRC Tropical Moist Forests (TMF)Global1990–202330
JRC Global Surface WaterGlobal1984–202130
Intact Forest Landscapes (IFL)Global2000, 2013, 2016, 2020n/a
Primary Forests UMDPantropical region200030
Ecuador official land cover mapEcuador202025
Honduras official land cover mapHonduras2014, 201825
Carte d'occupation des sols de Côte d'Ivoire en 2020Ivory Coast202030
MapBiomas Argentina COL1Argentina1998–202230
MapBiomas Amazonia COL5Amazonia1985–202230
MapBiomas Atlantic Forest COL3Atlantic Forest, Brazil1985–202230
MapBiomas Bolivia COL2Bolivia1985–202230
MapBiomas Brasil COL8Brazil1985–202230
MapBiomas Chaco COL3Chaco region, Argentina1985–202130
MapBiomas Chile COL1Chile2000–202230
MapBiomas Colombia COL1Colombia1985–202230
MapBiomas Ecuador COL1Ecuador1985–202230
MapBiomas Pampa COL3Pampa Region1985–202230
MapBiomas Paraguay COL1Paraguay1985–202230
MapBiomas Peru COL2Peru1985–202230
MapBiomas Uruguay COL1Uruguay1985–202230
MapBiomas Venezuela COL1Venezuela1985–202230
Bolivia national FBLBolivia2013, 2015, 201630
FEDEPALMA Oilpalm mapColombia
Danylo Oilpalm mapIndonesia201930
Descals Coconut mapGlobal202010
Descals Oilpalm MapGlobal201910
Descals Oilpalm and Oilpalm Age map (2024)Global1990–202110
Gaveau Oilpalm MapIndonesia2001–2019
ETH / Coconut / HCV Oilpalm MapIndonesia, Malaysia2020–202130
Xu Oilpalm MapIndonesia2001–201830
Oilpalm ConcessionsGlobal2024
DLR Urban map (WSF)Global201930
Uruguay Pulp MapUruguay
ETH Cocoa MapIvory Coast, Ghana202130
GFW SDPT (database of planted trees)Global2020
Guatemala national forest mapGuatemala2020
IDEAM Colombia forest mapColombia201930
Mexico National LULCMexico201830
UMD Soy MapSouth America2001–202330
UMD GLGLUGlobal2000, 202030
UMD / GFW Tree Canopy CoverGlobal2000, 2005, 2010, 201530
UMD Tree Height DataGlobal201930
Zhenrong Du Plantation DateGlobal1985–202230
Panama 2021 Land CoverPanama202110
Vietnam JAXA Land CoverVietnam1990–202010
Cambodia Yearly Forest CoverCambodia2015–202330
Cambodia Cashew MapCambodia202310
Global Planted Forest Dataset (Xiao)Global202130
Global Sugarcane DatasetBrazil, Australia, China, Colombia, Guatemala, India, Indonesia, Mexico, Pakistan, Philippines, South Africa, USA2019–2022
NLCD Annual Land Cover Dataset USA MLRCUSA1985–202330
Canada annual land coverCanada1985–202330
China Soy Area 10mChina2017–202110
USA Corn Soy Layer (Wang) 1999–2018USA1999–201830
Google Forest Data Partnership 2025a – OilpalmGlobal2020, 202310
Google Forest Data Partnership 2025a – RubberGlobal2020, 202310
Google Forest Data Partnership 2025a – CoffeeGlobal2020, 202310
Google Forest Data Partnership 2025a – CocoaGlobal2020, 202310
Global Pasture WatchGlobal2000–202210
For a full and up-to-date overview, visit the Satelligence Resource Centre.