"ZAPÁS delivers a set of procedures and products for forest resource assessment and monitoring. The team consists of a balanced contribution of leading experts from Europe and Russia in the field of Earth observation for forestry and includes a Russian Forest Research Institute which also apply remote sensing techniques. ZAPÁS investigates and cross validates methodologies using both Russian and European Earth observation data to develop a worldwideobservation system. Earth observation data include ENVISAT MERIS and ASAR in different acquisition modes, METEOR-M and RESURS-DK1. The methodologies include state-of-the-art optical and radar retrieval algorithms and their improvement as well as investigation of innovative synergistic approaches. Products include biomass maps and biomass change for the years 2007-2008-2009 on a local scale, a biomass and improved land cover map on the regional scale, and in addition, a 1 km scale land cover map as input to a carbon accounting model. These products serve the inventory community (e.g. FAO Forest Ressource Assessment) as well as the Kyoto Protocol implementation bodies. ZAPÁS is unique with respect to the team composition, Earth observation operational expertise, interdisciplinarity and envisioned improved synergistic products. In specified regions land cover change dynamics, specifically land abandonment, will be investigated. A ZAPÁS unique feature is the investigation of up- and down-scaling effects of data and products to improve the overall accuracies. A bi-lingual webportal (as already existing at partner locations) provides access to findings, data and products to the outside forest and Earth observation community."