Forest Alerts & Verification
Near-real-time disturbance alerts and how they are verified.
Alert Sources
Forest cover change monitoring detects deforestation faster than the two-yearly maps, so that it acts as a deterrent. Kenya uses two existing systems, with field reporting:
| System | Data | What it detects | Update interval |
|---|---|---|---|
| JJ-FAST (JICA-JAXA Forest Early Warning System in the Tropics) | ALOS-2 PALSAR-2 L-band radar (works through cloud) | Deforestation of more than 3 ha (version 2.1, July 2019) | About every 1.5 months |
| NRTFAS (Near Real Time Forest Alert System, Forest 2020) | Sentinel-2, 10 m optical; processed with Pyeo (University of Leicester) | Deforestation; pilot in eight North Rift counties | Weekly |
| Field reports (Survey123) | KFS rangers on smartphones or tablets | Verification of alerts, and incidents found on patrol or reported by residents | Continuous |
JJ-FAST results are free and open: www.eorc.jaxa.jp/jjfast. KFS also links them from its ArcGIS portal (portal.kenyaforestservice.org).
Source: Ministry of Environment and Forestry, National Forest Monitoring System in the Republic of Kenya, Version 1 (Draft), February 2021. Chapter 5.3.