Once a vast carpet of healthy vegetation and virgin forest, the Amazon rain forest is changingrapidly. This image of Bolivia shows dramatic deforestation in the Amazon Basin. Loggershave cut long paths into the forest, while ranchers have cleared large blocks for their herds.Fanning out from these clear-cut areas are settlements built in radial arrangements of fieldsand farms. Healthy vegetation appears bright red in this image.
This scene was acquired byLandsat 7’s Enhanced Thematic Mapper plus(ETM+) sensor on January 8, 2000. This is a false-color composite image made using infrared, red, and green wavelengths. The image has also been sharpened using the sensor’s panchromatic band.
References & Resources
Image provided by the USGS EROS Data Center Satellite Systems Branch
