Project Successfully Completed: New Satellite Monitor Supports the Monitoring of Permanent Pastures

Project Successfully Completed: New Satellite Tool Supports the Monitoring of Permanent Pastures

With the successful completion of the 3C – Copernicus Cross Compliance research project, an innovative tool for satellite-based monitoring of permanent grassland is now available. The joint project between the Saxon State Office for Environment, Agriculture, and Geology (LfULG) and the Chair of Environmental Remote Sensing at TU Dresden has developed methods to efficiently and objectively support compliance with the requirements of Good Agricultural and Environmental Condition (GAEC) using remote sensing data.

The project focused on using freely available Copernicus Sentinel-1 and Sentinel-2 data, along with modern machine learning techniques, to automatically detect changes in agricultural land. The methods developed enable continuous monitoring of permanent grassland and support the implementation of the European Union’s Common Agricultural Policy (CAP).

A key project outcome is the new DGL Monitor, a web-based application for the continuous analysis of permanent grassland areas. The system identifies fields where vegetation development deviates significantly from comparable areas under similar site and weather conditions. The results are presented in a tabular overview as well as in an integrated GIS viewer with the underlying satellite images, enabling a technical assessment of possible causes.

The DGL Monitor helps agricultural administration staff identify potential anomalies—such as grassland conversion, changes in land use, or other interventions—at an early stage and prioritize inspections in a targeted manner. The final assessment continues to be carried out by the responsible authorities.

The Chair of Environmental Remote Sensing at TU Dresden was responsible for the development and scientific evaluation of the remote sensing and machine learning methods. Pikobytes GmbH handled the technical implementation of the online monitor. The project serves as an example of how current research in the field of Earth observation can be directly translated into practical applications for government agencies and the agricultural sector.

Although the DGL Monitor was developed in collaboration with the LfULG for Saxony, the application can in principle also be used in other federal states, provided that state-specific validation is carried out.

The successful completion of the project underscores the close collaboration between TU Dresden and the LfULG and demonstrates how innovative remote sensing methods can contribute to more efficient and sustainable agricultural management.