Land Disturbances and Vegetation Regeneration of Alberta, Derived from 2017 to 2024 Sentinel-2 Multispectral Data (image data, GeoTIFF format)

This digital data package contains four gridded datasets derived from selected Sentinel-2 multispectral imagery (10 m spatial resolution) captured annually from 2017 to 2024, describing land disturbances and vegetation regeneration across Alberta.

Disturbances were detected through time-series comparison of the selected datasets, classified based on the time of first appearance on the landscape. They can be caused by a range of factors including forest harvesting, oil and gas activities, other infrastructure, wildfire, and insect defoliation. Disturbances due to agricultural activities were excluded. In addition to mapping land disturbances, the dataset identifies vegetation regeneration, which reflects recovery processes that occur both naturally and through anthropogenic intervention. This regeneration is typically observed in areas undergoing reclamation activities, forestry cutblocks, and recovery following wildfire.

Four primary data products are generated: 
1. magnitude of cumulative land disturbance (AB_cumul_dist_mag_2017_2024_class_10tm.tif), 
2. year of highest disturbance (AB_max_dist_yr_2017_2024_class_10tm.tif), 
3. magnitude of cumulative vegetation regeneration (AB_veg_regen_mag_2017_2024_class_10tm.tif), and
4. year of highest regeneration (AB_max_regen_yr_2017_2024_class_10tm.tif).

By integrating information on both disturbance and vegetation recovery, this dataset provides a comprehensive view of landscape change, supporting evidence-based decision-making, sustainable resource management, and an enhanced understanding of ecosystem resilience across Alberta.