14/01/2026
New research led by Vítězslav Moudrý highlights the limits of satellite-based canopy height products in Europe
A new open-access study led by Vítězslav Moudrý and an international research team, published in Earth and Space Science, shows that global and continental canopy height models derived from satellite data still contain substantial errors.
The authors demonstrate that airborne laser scanning (ALS) data—already available across much of Europe—provide significantly higher accuracy than many satellite-based products. At least 33 European countries currently have nationwide or near-nationwide ALS coverage collected by governmental institutions.
The study calls for better coordination, harmonisation, and open access to existing ALS datasets to enable the creation of a European-wide canopy height model, supporting ecosystem monitoring, biodiversity research, forest management, and future Earth observation missions.
Read the full article:
https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1029/2025EA004544