New satellite mapping reveals hidden grasslands crucial for biodiversity preservation.
Semi-natural grasslands are important parts of agricultural landscapes but are threatened by urbanization and intensive farming. A study mapped grassland frequency in France from 2006 to 2017 using satellite data. They found that the mapping accuracy varied by region, with high accuracy in Continental and Atlantic regions, moderate in Mediterranean regions, and high in Alpine regions. The results show that the grassland frequency map provides a detailed view of stable grassland patterns in agricultural areas. Sub-pixel analysis revealed that the areas classified as grasslands mostly matched with grassland-dominant areas. This long-term monitoring can help in inventorying and managing semi-natural grasslands effectively.