MapBiomas Alertas is a free public platform that centralizes deforestation alerts from various satellite monitoring systems (such as GLAD, RADD, and FAN). Its primary function is to validate, refine, and supplement this data with high-resolution imagery and territorial and environmental information, aiming to standardize and provide detailed insights into and traceability for forest loss in Bolivia to facilitate analysis.

Other alert systems rely on automated algorithms that analyze medium-resolution satellite imagery. In contrast, MapBiomas Alertas reviews each case using high-resolution imagery, which is verified by specialists prior to publication.

The project uses images with high spatial resolution—between 3.7 and 10 m—and a temporal resolution of 1 to 5 days.

Validated alerts are published bi-weekly on the MapBiomas Alerta Bolivia platform.

The operational phase aims to evaluate all deforestation alerts detected in the country since January 2020. The detection date corresponds to when providers generated the GLAD-RADD or FAN alert and does not necessarily represent the moment the deforestation actually occurred. For example, deforestation detected in 2025 could have begun or taken place in 2024. Data for the current year is always partial and subject to change due to the time required to process and publish the alerts. Track the progress of alert processing and publication here:https://plataforma.bolivia.alerta.mapbiomas.org

Yes. Before being published, alerts undergo validation, refinement, and auditing processes to reduce errors and rule out false positives.

The polygon's perimeter is smoothed to reduce the number of acute angles, and a generalization process is applied during refinement. This process can result in a variation of up to 5% in the calculated area, either increasing or decreasing the detected area.

These are the activities or factors that likely caused the deforestation—for example, agriculture, livestock farming, mining, urban expansion, or natural or climatic phenomena.

The deforested area report is a technical document automatically generated on the MapBiomas Alerta platform that compiles technical information regarding the alert, enabling a quick and direct analysis of the location, probable deforestation dates, relevant territorial overlaps (such as protected areas and indigenous territories), and methodological details. This document serves to streamline and facilitate analysis and decision-making for users of the MapBiomas Alerta platform. 

No. The platform records and validates the loss of forest cover, but determining legality is the responsibility of the competent authorities.

Not necessarily. If forest cover recovers after the fire, the alert can be dismissed. If the fire results in a permanent loss of forest cover, the alert may remain in effect. 

No. Once published, they remain available for public consultation without an expiration date. 

All the material is free and available on the website. https://plataforma.bolivia.alerta.mapbiomas.org

Sí. Se pueden descargar las alertas como: (i) archivo Shapefile (.shp); (ii) Fichas de área deforestada en formato  PDF; (iii) mediante una API pública que permite acceder a alertas, imágenes y atributos como servicio (servicio abierto para usuarios registrados. Regístrese aquí: https://plataforma.bolivia.alerta.mapbiomas.org

Contact us by email: soporte.alerta.bo@mapbiomas.org

MapBiomas data are public, open, and free; simply cite the source using the format indicated below:

“MapBiomas Alert Bolivia Project – Validation and Refinement System for Deforestation Alerts Using High-Resolution Imagery: [link] accessed on [date].”