DEA Mangroves (Landsat)

Abstract The Digital Earth Australia (DEA) Mangroves (Landsat) dataset shows the extent and canopy density of mangroves along the entire Australian coastline, from 1987 to the present. It provides annual maps at 30 m resolution using Landsat satellite imagery. Mangroves are vital coastal ecosystems that provide many benefits, including habitat for wildlife and protection from storms. In Australia, mangroves are legally protected, so changes in their canopy density are mostly driven by natural factors. Understanding how mangrove canopy density changes over time helps us monitor their response to environmental pressures such as sea level rise, tropical cyclones, and climate cycles. Mangrove canopy density is classified into four categories: * Not Observed: Fewer than 3 clear observations (insufficient data) * Woodland (20–50%): Pale green * Open Forest (50–80%): Mid green * Closed Forest (80–100%): Dark green The maps are generated using: * Landsat [fractional cover] from the Joint Remote Sensing Research Program * [Global Mangrove Watch layers] from the Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency From 2022 onwards, cloud and shadow buffering (6 pixels) is applied to Landsat 5, 7, 8, and 9 data to improve accuracy. Currency Date modified: April 2025 Modification frequency: Annually Version:4.0.0 Data extent Spatial Extent North: -9° South: -44° East: 154° West: 112° Temporal extent From 1987 to 2024 Source information * [Product description and metadata] * [Data download] Lineage statement Annual changes in mangrove canopy density were measured using Landsat satellite imagery with a spatial resolution of 30 metres. The dataset uses a dense time-series approach, with observations taken approximately every 16 days, depending on cloud cover. This method enables consistent tracking of canopy cover across Australia’s coastline. For detailed information on product quality, limitations, and methodology, please refer to the [DEA Knowledge Hub]. Data Dictionary ───────────────────┬────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Attribute Name │Description ───────────────────┼────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Category │Indicates Image as Primary or Overview. ───────────────────┼────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── ClassName │The mangrove canopy density category the pixel is assigned to. ───────────────────┼────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── datetime │This date indicates the year that the annual summary layer represents. Since the layer summarises data for an entire calendar year, a date of '01/01/1987' indicates that it is a 1987 annual summary. ───────────────────┼────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Name │The file name of the image. [DEA Naming Convention] ───────────────────┼────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── eo_platform │landsat satellite ───────────────────┼────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── odc_dataset_version│version number for mangrove data used ───────────────────┼────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── eo_product │ga_ls_mangrove_cover_cyear_3 ───────────────────┼────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── eo_product_family │mangrove_cover ───────────────────┴────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Contact Digital Earth Australia, [earth.observation@ga.gov.au]