Using historical spy satellite photographs and recent remote sensing data to identify high‐conservation‐value forests
Abstract: High-conservation-value forests (HCVFs) are critically important for biodiversity and ecosystem service provisioning, but they face many threats. Where systematic HCVF inventories are missing, such as in parts of Eastern Europe, these forests remain largely unacknowledged and therefore often unprotected. We devised a novel, transferable approach for detecting HCVFs based on integrating historical spy satellite images, contemporary remote sensing data (Landsat), and information on current potential anthropogenic pressures (e.g., road infrastructure, population density, demand for fire wood, terrain). We applied the method to the Romanian Carpathians, for which we mapped forest continuity (1955–2019), canopy structural complexity, and anthropogenic pressures. We identified 738,000 ha of HCVF. More than half of this area was identified as susceptible to current anthropogenic pressures and lacked formal protection. By providing a framework for broad-scale HCVF monitoring, our approach facilitates integration of HCVF into forest conservation and management. This is urgently needed to achieve the goals of the European Union's Biodiversity Strategy to maintain valuable forest ecosystems
- Location
-
Deutsche Nationalbibliothek Frankfurt am Main
- Extent
-
Online-Ressource
- Language
-
Englisch
- Notes
-
Conservation biology. - 36, 2 (2022) , e13820, ISSN: 1523-1739
- Classification
-
Natürliche Ressourcen, Energie und Umwelt
- Event
-
Veröffentlichung
- (where)
-
Freiburg
- (who)
-
Universität
- (when)
-
2022
- Creator
-
Munteanu, Catalina
Senf, Cornelius
Niță, Mihai Daniel
Sabatini, Francesco M.
Oeser, Julian
Seidl, Rupert
Kuemmerle, Tobias
- Contributor
- DOI
-
10.1111/cobi.13820
- URN
-
urn:nbn:de:bsz:25-freidok-2305305
- Rights
-
Open Access; Der Zugriff auf das Objekt ist unbeschränkt möglich.
- Last update
-
15.08.2025, 7:36 AM CEST
Data provider
Deutsche Nationalbibliothek. If you have any questions about the object, please contact the data provider.
Associated
- Munteanu, Catalina
- Senf, Cornelius
- Niță, Mihai Daniel
- Sabatini, Francesco M.
- Oeser, Julian
- Seidl, Rupert
- Kuemmerle, Tobias
- Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg. Professur für Wildtierökologie und Wildtiermanagement
- Universität
Time of origin
- 2022
Other Objects (12)
Using historical spy satellite photographs and recent remote sensing data to identify high-conservation-value forests
Post-socialist land use change in the Carpathians
Post-socialist land use change in the Carpathians
Moodle am Geographischen Institut
Cold War spy satellite images reveal long-term declines of a philopatric keystone species in response to cropland expansion
Cold War spy satellite images reveal long-term declines of a philopatric keystone species in response to cropland expansion
An Outcome-Oriented, Social-Ecological Framework for Assessing Protected Area Effectiveness
Protection gaps and restoration opportunities for primary forests in Europe
Habitat destruction and overexploitation drive widespread declines in all facets of mammalian diversity in the Gran Chaco
Where are Europe’s last primary forests?
Satellite‐based habitat monitoring reveals long‐term dynamics of deer habitat in response to forest disturbances
Satellite‐based habitat monitoring reveals long‐term dynamics of deer habitat in response to forest disturbances
Using historical spy satellite photographs and recent remote sensing data to identify high-conservation-value forests
Post-socialist land use change in the Carpathians
Post-socialist land use change in the Carpathians
Moodle am Geographischen Institut
Cold War spy satellite images reveal long-term declines of a philopatric keystone species in response to cropland expansion
Cold War spy satellite images reveal long-term declines of a philopatric keystone species in response to cropland expansion
An Outcome-Oriented, Social-Ecological Framework for Assessing Protected Area Effectiveness
Protection gaps and restoration opportunities for primary forests in Europe
Habitat destruction and overexploitation drive widespread declines in all facets of mammalian diversity in the Gran Chaco
Where are Europe’s last primary forests?
Satellite‐based habitat monitoring reveals long‐term dynamics of deer habitat in response to forest disturbances
Satellite‐based habitat monitoring reveals long‐term dynamics of deer habitat in response to forest disturbances
Using historical spy satellite photographs and recent remote sensing data to identify high-conservation-value forests
Post-socialist land use change in the Carpathians
Post-socialist land use change in the Carpathians
Moodle am Geographischen Institut
Cold War spy satellite images reveal long-term declines of a philopatric keystone species in response to cropland expansion
Cold War spy satellite images reveal long-term declines of a philopatric keystone species in response to cropland expansion
An Outcome-Oriented, Social-Ecological Framework for Assessing Protected Area Effectiveness
Protection gaps and restoration opportunities for primary forests in Europe
Habitat destruction and overexploitation drive widespread declines in all facets of mammalian diversity in the Gran Chaco
Where are Europe’s last primary forests?
Satellite‐based habitat monitoring reveals long‐term dynamics of deer habitat in response to forest disturbances