Latin America Woody Vegetation Structure and Change (LAM WVSC), 2015-2023

We are providing comprehensive annual woody vegetation structure and dynamics data for Latin America from 2015 to 2023 at a medium (30 meters per pixel) spatial resolution. To generate these products, we used state-of-the-art methods and tools such as Landsat Analysis Ready Data (ARD), the ARD-based annual land surface phenology and change detection features, locally calibrated regression tree ensemble models for annual woody vegetation structure mapping, annual forest loss and degradation detection tools, and temporal filters that improve interannual map consistency. The annual dataset is available online for free, with no restrictions on access, redistribution, or use, as long as proper citation is given, following the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). For the user’s convenience, the data is provided in two formats: raster image tiles and public Google Earth Engine assets. Detailed information about the data format and access is provided in Section 4 of the document. The annual dataset can be viewed online using the Google Earth Engine Apps interface: https://glad-other.projects.earthengine.app/view/latinamericawvsc20152023. This document briefly outlines the methodology and serves as a user guide for the Latin America annual Woody Vegetation Structure and Change (LAM WVSC) dataset. A detailed description of the methods and product validation report are being prepared.