4.77m cloud-free, frequent visual imagery of changing conditions in tropical regions from PlanetScope and Norway’s International Climate and Forests Initiative (NICFI) is now freely available in Lens for non-commercial use in support of the NICFI Purpose. Learn more about the data here if you have properties in the tropics and are working to reduce and reverse the loss of tropical forests, combat climate change, conserve biodiversity, and facilitate sustainable development.
Norway’s International Climate and Forest Initiative (NICFI) aims to make PlanetScope imagery more accessible than ever before for monitoring tropical forests. We’re proud to offer this new data source to all eligible Lens customers at no extra cost— you can start monitoring today!
“We are thrilled to provide Planet-NICFI in Lens to make timely, cloud-free data of tropical ecosystems more accessible," says Abby Smith, Lens Head of Product. "Tropical forests, known as the 'lungs of the planet' are under threat, and we believe that the transparency and accountability from Planet's satellite data can enable rigorous protection and new insights."
Given the unique weather conditions of the tropics, capturing clear satellite imagery has always been a challenge. Planet’s monthly mosaics are uniquely poised to meet the challenges of capturing high-resolution imagery in cloudy places. These mosaics include imagery captured within a limited time frame to minimize clouds while retaining the value of recent, high-frequency imagery.
Biannual mosaics are available from December 2015 - August 2020. Monthly mosaics are available from September 2020 onwards. With program coverage extending across the full tropics, NICFI brings transformational data to organizations working to protect tropical forests and meet global climate goals.
We are proud to put this data in the hands of our customers, and are grateful to our partners at Planet and their work to make this effort possible. If you have questions about the data or how it may be used, please reach out to us at lens@upstream.tech or visit our plans page to sign up and get started today.
Lens is a web-based application that combines best-available satellite and aerial data with an efficient monitoring workflow to increase the pace, scale, and impact of environmental work. Environmental organizations, state and federal agencies, carbon project portfolio managers, and restoration companies use Lens to collaboratively analyze, monitor, and gain insights across millions of acres of land.