Horizon Europe project
Satellite forest data for biomass supply, wildfire risk and private forests
FUTUREFOR develops forest services from Copernicus satellite data, combined with airborne and in-situ data. Three business cases bring these services to specific users and the decisions they make.
The challenge
Where should we check first?
Storms and bark beetle outbreaks change which wood reaches the market, from where and when. Anyone who depends on that wood, or manages forests and assets nearby, faces the same first questions after an event.
Where has the forest changed, and since when? Where do we check first, and what evidence do we need before acting?
FUTUREFOR turns satellite observations into answers to questions like these and tests them with practitioners.
Business cases
Three ways FUTUREFOR puts forest data to work
Biomass powerplant operation optimization
Know where forest in your supply area has changed
Pilot: Murtal, Austria
- Problem
- Storms and bark beetle outbreaks shift where wood comes from. Plant, procurement and supply teams need to know where to look first.
- Solution
- A map of satellite-detected forest change. Each area comes with its location, its size in hectares, the date it was first detected and how many observations support it.
- Benefit
- Designed to help you decide where to check first, with the evidence behind each detection in view. We are assessing its operational value with users now.
FireFence
Wildfire risk monitoring for critical infrastructure resilience
In development
- Problem
- Wildfires threaten more than forests. They put energy infrastructure such as power lines, wind farms and solar plants in rural areas at risk.
- Solution
- Dynamic wildfire risk information from Copernicus EFFIS, enhanced with FUTUREFOR hotspot monitoring and fuel maps, combined with geofencing around each asset.
- Benefit
- Designed to alert operators when risk changes or hotspots are detected near their infrastructure, so they can focus on prevention instead of emergency response.
Forest Digital Twin
Open forest data for private forests
In development
- Problem
- Private forest owners need timely forest information to manage their land, and many may not have forestry expertise of their own.
- Solution
- Software that gives private forest owners up-to-date forest data from Copernicus satellites, including information on disturbances and fire risk.
- Benefit
- Spot potential issues early and plan sustainable management measures for your forest.
Each business case is developed by a FUTUREFOR partner. Details on all three at futurefor.eu.
How it works
From satellite image to a short list of places to check
The biomass case runs on a change-detection service developed by JOANNEUM RESEARCH. Its pilot is built around a real event: the windthrow of 18 August 2022 in the Murtal district of Styria, Austria.
Observe
Satellites record the forest again and again.
Detect
A significant change in the signal marks an area where the forest has changed.
Confirm
Each further cloud-free observation adds support. Detections fall into three evidence levels.
Act
You see location, size, first detection date and evidence level, and decide where to check on the ground.
Good to know
- The map shows where forest has changed. The cause is confirmed on the ground.
- It is a starting point for checks, not a complete record of every change.
- Changes are mapped as areas, not as single pixels.
- Detection works best from spring to autumn. Effects of winter storms may only become visible in spring.
- The first detection date shows when the change was first seen, not a confirmed date of damage.
- Evidence levels count supporting observations. They are not probabilities or accuracy figures.
- Biomass information is under evaluation and not part of the current view.
- Validation against reference data is in preparation. Accuracy figures will be shared once validation is complete and released.
Who it's for
Who the business cases serve
Biomass and wood supply
- Biomass heat and power plant operators
- Feedstock buyers and procurement teams
- Pellet and wood supply chains
- Logistics teams
- Local forestry practitioners
Wildfire risk
- Energy grid operators
- Renewable energy producers
- Pipeline operators
Private forests
- Private forest owners
Get involved
Help shape the Murtal pilot
We are looking for practitioners from biomass, wood supply and forestry who want to see what satellite change detection can do for their decisions.
October-December 2026
Discovery interview
Tell us which decisions you make when forest conditions change, what information you already use and what evidence you need before acting.
January-April 2027
Pilot-user workshop
Review the Murtal pilot with us and discuss the information your operations need. Date, format and scope are confirmed with participants beforehand.
Each button opens a short email template. You can also write directly to info@beetlefortech.com. Interested in wildfire risk or private forest data? Find the project contact on futurefor.eu.
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Project funded in the Horizon Europe Programme HORIZON-EUSPA-2023-SPACE under Grant Agreement 101180278.
Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Union Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA). Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.