> [!CAUTION]
> **Caution:** This dataset has been superseded by [WRI/GFW/FORMA/alerts](https://developers.google.com/earth-engine/datasets/catalog/WRI_GFW_FORMA_alerts).

![FORMA/FORMA_500m](https://developers.google.com/earth-engine/datasets/images/FORMA/FORMA_FORMA_500m_sample.png)

Dataset Availability
:   2006-01-01T00:00:00Z--2015-06-10T00:00:00Z

Dataset Producer
:


    [Global Forest Watch, World Resources Institute](https://www.globalforestwatch.org)

Tags
:
    alerts deforestation fire forest forma geophysical gfw modis nasa wri

#### Description

FORMA is a MODIS-based deforestation alerting system for the humid tropical
forests. FORMA is designed for quick identification of new areas of tree
cover loss. The system analyzes data gathered daily by the MODIS sensor,
which operates on NASA's Terra and Aqua satellites. The FORMA alerts system
then detects pronounced changes in vegetation cover over time, as measured
by the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), a measure of
vegetation greenness. These pronounced changes in vegetation cover are
likely to indicate forest being cleared, burned, or defoliated. An alert is
added to the dataset by setting the pixel value to the date at which a
change was detected. FORMA alerts only appear in areas where the probability
of tree cover loss is greater than or equal to 50%. FORMA data has 500-meter
spatial resolution and twice-monthly update interval. FORMA alerts start in
January 2006.

### Bands

**Bands**

Pixel size: 500 meters (all bands)

| Name | Units | Min | Max | Pixel Size | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| `constant` | seconds | 1.13498e+09\* | 1.43392e+09\* | 500 meters | [Seconds since Jan 1, 1970](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unix_time) |

\* estimated min or max value

### Terms of Use

**Terms of Use**

The FORMA datasets are available without restriction on use or distribution.
WRI does request that the user give proper attribution and identify WRI and
GFW, where applicable, as the source of the data.

### Citations

Citations:

- Hammer, Dan, Robin Kraft, and David Wheeler. 2013. FORMA Alerts. World
  Resources Institute and Center for Global Development.
  [www.globalforestwatch.org](https://developers.google.com/earth-engine/datasets/catalog/www.globalforestwatch.org).

### Explore with Earth Engine

> [!NOTE]
> **Important:** Earth Engine is a platform for petabyte-scale scientific analysis and visualization of geospatial datasets, both for public benefit and for business and government users. Earth Engine is free to use for research, education, and nonprofit use. To get started, please [register for Earth Engine access.](https://console.cloud.google.com/earth-engine)

### Code Editor (JavaScript)

```javascript
var dataset = ee.Image('FORMA/FORMA_500m');

var visualization = {
  bands: ['constant'],
  min: 1134979200.0,
  max: 1433919600.0,
  palette: ['ff0000']
};

Map.setCenter(-51.482, -0.835, 6);

Map.addLayer(dataset, visualization, 'Alert Areas');
```
[Open in Code Editor](https://code.earthengine.google.com/?scriptPath=Examples:Datasets/FORMA/FORMA_FORMA_500m) [FORMA Global Forest Watch Deforestation Alerts, 500m \[deprecated\]](https://developers.google.com/earth-engine/datasets/catalog/FORMA_FORMA_500m) FORMA is a MODIS-based deforestation alerting system for the humid tropical forests. FORMA is designed for quick identification of new areas of tree cover loss. The system analyzes data gathered daily by the MODIS sensor, which operates on NASA's Terra and Aqua satellites. The FORMA alerts system then detects pronounced ... FORMA/FORMA_500m, alerts,deforestation,fire,forest,forma,geophysical,gfw,modis,nasa,wri 2006-01-01T00:00:00Z/2015-06-10T00:00:00Z -90 -180 90 180 Google Earth Engine https://developers.google.com/earth-engine/datasets

- [](https://doi.org/https://www.globalforestwatch.org)
- [](https://doi.org/https://developers.google.com/earth-engine/datasets/catalog/FORMA_FORMA_500m)