Ecosystems - forests

The Guiana Shield region contains more than 25% of the world’s tropical rainforests, most still in pristine condition. The Guiana Shield Initiative is working to preserve this ecologically important and unique area of the earth. In order to do so, up-to-date and accurate information is needed – a greater part of which could be fulfilled by the development of a suitable monitoring system based on remote sensing methods.

Cloud forests represent a rare and fragile ecosystem that is under threat in many parts of the world. These rich mountain forests make up no more than 2.5 per cent of the world's tropical forests but contain a disproportionately large number of the world's species. The Cloud Forest Agenda report aims to stimulate new initiatives and partnerships for the conservation and restoration of tropical montane cloud forests around the world.