Rugged river canyons, Putorana Plateau

To mark the first anniversary of the European Space Agency’s Biomass satellite, we present a selection of striking images captured over the past 12 months, revealing Earth’s forests, and much more, in new detail. In just one year, this pioneering mission has begun transforming our understanding of forest dynamics and advancing how scientists monitor the critical role forests play in regulating the global carbon cycle.

This image, captured over the Siberian Arctic on 1 October 2025, shows the Putorana Plateau, where the Putorana State Nature Reserve protects a high, isolated basalt plateau deeply incised by dramatic river canyons and long, fjord-like lakes such as Lake Khantayskoye.