Satellite-based woody canopy cover for Africa: Uncovering bias and recovering best estimates across years

Woody plants in both forested and non-forested areas are vital for carbon storage, climate change mitigation, biodiversity conservation, and provision of ecosystem services. Accurate mapping of woody cover (WC) is crucial for understanding global environmental dynamics, but despite advancements in Earth observation (EO), challenges persist in WC mapping, particularly in spatially heterogeneous mixed tree-grass systems, characterized by low density and low stature (LDLS, i.e., savannas and dryland ecosystems) woody plants.