Explore the spatial distribution of peatlands across Southeast Asia using our interactive Google Earth Engine map. Use the layer controls to display and compare peatland extent, forest loss, oil palm plantations, carbon emissions, canal density and protected areas. Zoom into areas of interest, toggle individual layers on and off, and explore spatial patterns and relationships between datasets.
Interactive peatland map
Compare peatland datasets across Southeast Asia, inspect carbon estimates, and explore where spatial definitions disagree.
Open data
Datasets behind the map
The interactive map brings together publicly available geospatial datasets from multiple sources. Below, you can explore the datasets used in the platform, organised by theme, with descriptions of their content and methods. Links to the original data sources and publications are provided to support data download, further analysis and research.
Peatland extent
Gumbricht et al. (2017)
An expert system model for mapping tropical wetland and peatland
Estimates wetland development from water balance, seasonality and hydrogeomorphology, then extracts peat-forming wetland.
Protected areas
UNEP-WCMC and IUCN
World Database on Protected Areas
A global database of marine and terrestrial protected areas, updated monthly.
Global Forest Watch
Sarawak protected areas
Boundaries from the Sarawak Forestry Department, covering national parks, wildlife sanctuaries and nature reserves — some gazetted, some proposed.
Forest loss
Hansen et al. (2013)
High-resolution global maps of 21st-century forest cover change
Tree cover in 2000 plus annual loss and gain layers, generated from Landsat 5, 7 and 8 imagery. Loss is defined as stand-replacement disturbance at Landsat pixel scale.
Oil palm plantation
Descals et al. (2021)
High-resolution global industrial and smallholder oil palm map for 2019
10-metre resolution mapping distinguishing industrial-scale from smallholder plantations, derived from Sentinel-1 and Sentinel-2 imagery.
Global Forest Watch
Spatial Database of Planted Trees 2.0
Planted forest and tree-crop data compiled from governments, NGOs and researchers, covering oil palm, rubber, coffee, coconut and cocoa. Mostly anchored around 2020.