Wanwan Liang can now track a single logging trail in the boreal forest from space, thanks to a new map that sees Earth in pixels the size of a baseball diamond. For the first time, scientists can monitor 40 years of ecological change across Arctic and boreal North America at a resolution of just 30 meters—revealing not only massive wildfires but subtle shifts like selective logging and land conversion, previously invisible in coarser satellite views. This breakthrough, led by Liang and Jon Wang of the University of Utah in collaboration with NASA’s ABoVE campaign, is transforming how we understand carbon storage in one of the planet’s most climate-sensitive regions.
Arctic and boreal ecosystems, stretching across Alaska and Canada, are warming two to four times faster than the global average. These forests act as vital carbon sinks, pulling CO₂ from the atmosphere through photosynthesis and storing it in trunks, branches, and roots. But as wildfires, droughts, and human disturbances intensify, parts of this vast biome risk flipping from carbon absorbers to emitters—disrupting global climate stability. To manage this risk, scientists need accurate, long-term data on aboveground biomass. Until now, conflicting satellite datasets and limited resolution have made that difficult.
The new research tackles both problems. In a March 2026 study published in Environmental Research Letters, Liang and Wang led a meta-analysis of nine existing biomass datasets, offering a practical guide to help researchers and policymakers choose the right tool for the job—whether tracking fire impacts or estimating national carbon budgets. Then, in a follow-up paper in Remote Sensing of Environment (April 2026), they unveiled their own high-resolution dataset, built from Landsat satellite imagery, airborne LiDAR, and forest inventories from the U.S. and Canadian Forest Services. It captures annual aboveground biomass changes from 1984 to 2022 across nearly 7 million square kilometers—an area more than twice the size of India.
The implications are profound. With this level of detail, scientists can now pinpoint exactly when and where carbon is being lost or gained, linking changes to specific drivers like fire, harvest, or climate shifts. This isn’t just about measurement—it’s about foresight. As Wang notes, “Different maps are better for different purposes,” and now, for the first time, we have both clarity and precision.
As climate change accelerates, this dataset becomes a living record of resilience and transformation. It empowers communities, conservationists, and governments to make informed decisions—protecting forests that may be our quietest, most enduring allies in the fight against global warming.