ALOS PALSAR radar observation of tropical peat swamp forest as a monitoring tool for environmental protection and restoration

Tropical peat swamp forests are threatened by large scale deforestation and canal drainage. Oxidation and forest fire cause enormous carbon emissions. Most remaining areas are located in Indonesia. Time series of historical JERS-1 SAR data reveal the extent and nature of recent disturbances, such as those caused by excess drainage and severe ENSO. Since the dynamics of flooding and drought events can be observed well by the recently launched ALOS PALSAR instrument, important information relevant for detection of ecosystem disturbance and evaluation of restoration efforts can be obtained.