ForestSAT 2026

The ForestSAT promotes the use of spatial analysis technologies in forestry by fostering collaboration among academia, government, research institutions, and the private sector. It advances science-based approaches to understanding, monitoring, and modeling forest ecosystems.

ForestSAT 2026 will be a hybrid conference bringing together experts in forestry, remote sensing, and artificial intelligence for a week of presentations, workshops, and networking. With both in-person and online options, the event is accessible worldwide, and in-person attendees in Gainesville can also experience Florida’s diverse natural and cultural sspects.

Dmitry Shchepashchenko from IIASA will introduce in an invited talk the Data.GEO-TREES, a global, harmonized in-situ forest biomass database designed to support the calibration and validation of satellite-based forest biomass products. He will also highlight how GEO-TREES bridges the remote sensing and field ecology communities by standardizing biomass measurements and improving the accuracy of global biomass maps.

In another session, he will present his joint work with colleagues on mapping global forest management practices in support of the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR). The talk will introduce a new global map derived from combined Sentinel-1 and Sentinel-2 data, discuss updated forest management classes and improved training data, and highlight its relevance for EO-based forest mapping and land-use assessment.