A combined display of satellite images from 3 years showing changes in remnant vegetation cover through time. Shades of black, grey and white indicate areas that haven’t changed. Coloured areas have changed. The brighter the colour the bigger the change. The timing of the change determines the colour of the display.

Satellite image of southwest Western Australia showing changes in remnant vegetation cover.

Terrestrial mapping and monitoring

Over more than 20 years, CSIRO has made major contributions in the use of remotely sensed data for improving environmental knowledge and management at scales from local to regional to continental.

  • 17 March 2008 | Updated 14 October 2011

CSIRO’s Terrestrial Mapping and Monitoring team has unique skills for helping manage the environment.

Key science issue

A big country like Australia needs special technologies to reliably measure environmental change over vast areas.

How CSIRO is addressing this

CSIRO is a pioneer in quantitative land-cover monitoring technologies.

Over more than 20 years, we have made major contributions in the use of remotely sensed data for improving environmental knowledge and management at scales from local to regional to continental.

Our capabilities are well suited to a wide range of landscapes, especially in the more isolated regions of the world.

Terrestrial mapping and monitoring

CSIRO’s Terrestrial Mapping and Monitoring team, headed by Dr Peter Caccetta, develop and use statistical and computational methods to integrate and analyse remotely sensed and other spatial data over time.

“ . . . this group’s accomplishments . . . rank among the very best applications of modern remote sensing technology anywhere in the world.”
NASA spokesperson

Our special automation techniques not only speed up these complex processes but also ensure maximum continuity of data quality. 

Our researchers contribute to:

  • improved environmental knowledge and management at national, regional and local levels thorough the use of remotely sensed and other spatial data
  • measures of sustainability and environmental performance for policy, industry and public information as reflected by the changes in the environment resulting from human as well as natural forces.
  • development of environmental auditing systems for industry accreditation, market access and demonstrating compliance to international standards. Examples include the internationally recognised contribution to Australia’s National Carbon Accounting System and salinity hazard mapping in Western Australia.

The team is internationally recognised in its field.

For more information

Learn about our research achievements in Putting remote sensing on the map and view our list of science publications.