The Proba-V minisatellite has a mission to map land cover and vegetation growth across the entire planet every two days. This image captures the deforestation taking place in the state of Rondônia in western Brazil.
This 300-meter-resolution image from the European Space Agency's Proba-V minisatellite, with a mission to map land cover and vegetation growth across the entire planet every two days, shows deforestation in the state of Rondônia in western Brazil. Note the distinctive fishbone pattern that results from the main roads and secondary roads that are cut through the forest for clearing.
The Brazilian Institute for Space Research uses satellite imagery to monitor the deforestation rates of Brazil's rainforests. The deforestation rate has dropped dramatically from 3,900 square kilometers in 2004 to 900 square kilometers in 2013, and yet valuable forests still disappear every day.
The Proba-V camera captures light in the blue, red, near-infrared and mid-infrared wave bands, which are ideal for vegetation mapping.
