Landsat Data Yield View of Global Forest Losses , Gains The ravages of deforestation , wildfires , windstorms and insects on global forests during this century are revealed in unprecedented detail in a new study based on data from the NASA - U . S . Geological Survey Landsat 7 satellite . The maps resulting from the study are the first to document forest loss and gain using a consistent method around the globe , at high resolution . With each pixel showing an area about the size of a baseball diamond , researchers see enough detail to tell local , regional and global stories .