Google DeepMind and partners release ForTy maps tracking forest types and change
Google DeepMind, Google Research, WRI and IIASA released Forest Typology (ForTy) 2020, a global 10-meter map classifying land into six forest and land-use categories, alongside an early time series covering 2017 to 2025. Validation across more than 9,000 sites found 90% accuracy for forest types and 95% for distinguishing forest from non-forest land. The datasets are freely available on Google Earth Engine under an open license and show changes including natural forests becoming plantations or farms.
Why it matters
Distinguishing forest types reveals conversions that tree cover maps can miss when cleared natural forests become green plantations, providing a more specific basis for assessing deforestation and degradation.






