Never before have we been able to see the forest for the trees in such detail. Scientists at the Woods Hole Research Center in Falmouth, MA compiled the “National Biomass and Carbon Dataset for the year 2000” (NBCD2000) generating a high-resolution, spatially explicit map, that will form the baseline for future studies. The dataset and map, which were part of a project funded by NASA, were pieced together using 2000-2001 data from NASA satellites and ground-based forest surveys. This map is the most precise representation of the height and coverage of U.S. forests and woodlands of its kind.
Woods Hole Research Center is an organization dedicated to advancing scientific discovery and seeking science-based solutions for the world’s environmental and economic challenges through research and education on forests, soils, air, and water. Josef Kellndorfer, of the WHRC who led the study, said in a statement the data will provide a baseline for understanding both forest resources and carbon flux, and should help researchers monitor changes in forest cover over time.
For more information about how the map was compiled as well as to zoom in, click on the map image below.