data products

GLAD-L (Landsat-based Deforestation Alerts)

Compiled from public sources on 2026-05-24. Not independently verified by World Resources Institute.

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GLAD-L (Landsat-based Deforestation Alerts) is a near-real-time tropical forest disturbance alert system based on time-series change detection applied to Landsat Analysis Ready Data. The algorithm and primary dataset are produced by the GLAD lab at the University of Maryland; WRI Global Forest Watch (globalforestwatch.org) distributes the alerts as the primary public-facing access channel under CC BY 4.0.^[1]^[2]

Alerts are generated at 30 m ground sample distance. A two-tier confidence structure distinguishes provisional alerts (single anomalous observation) from confirmed alerts (anomalous change in 2 of 4 consecutive observations), reducing commission errors from single-image artefacts.^[2]

Production-confirmed pantropical coverage spans approximately 30 degrees N to 30 degrees S.^[1] As of 2026, GFW has described extensions toward global coverage; this extension has not been confirmed from the primary UMD GLAD dataset page, which returned server errors on access attempts in May 2026.^[1]

Detection latency is extended by persistent cloud cover in humid-tropical regions due to the optical Landsat input. Omission rates are higher in secondary forests and in areas with partial canopy disturbance below the 30 m pixel footprint. The product is suited to event-based disturbance alert applications; it is not designed for area estimation.^[2]^[1]

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Supply chain position

addresses Deforestation

Sources

[1]Humid tropical forest disturbance alerts using Landsat data, Hansen et al. 2016 ERLpeer reviewed2026-05-24
[2]GLAD Forest Alerts dataset page, UMD GLAD labagency doc2026-05-18
[3]GLAD Analysis Ready Data technical specification, UMDoperator datasheet2026-05-18

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How to cite this page

Plain text

GLAD-L (Landsat-based Deforestation Alerts). EO-Atlas, SpectraWorks B.V., last reviewed 2026-05-24. https://eo-atlas.org/data_products/glad-l-alerts (CC BY 4.0)

BibTeX

@misc{eoatlas:data_products:glad-l-alerts,
  title = {GLAD-L (Landsat-based Deforestation Alerts)},
  author = {{EO-Atlas}},
  publisher = {SpectraWorks B.V.},
  year = {2026},
  note = {Last reviewed 2026-05-24. CC BY 4.0},
  url = {https://eo-atlas.org/data_products/glad-l-alerts}
}