# Forest type (natural, planted, plantation)

> Index of the TerraLab docs for agents: [llms.txt](https://terra-lab.ai/docs/llms.txt). Every docs page is also served as markdown: add .md to its URL.

Whether a forest is natural, naturally regenerating, planted, a plantation or tree crops, mapped at 10 m for 2020.

| | |
| --- | --- |
| REST | `POST https://mcp.terra-lab.ai/v1/tools/get_forest_type` |
| MCP tool | `get_forest_type` on `https://mcp.terra-lab.ai/mcp` |
| Group | Imagery and land |

## Request

```bash
curl -X POST https://mcp.terra-lab.ai/v1/tools/get_forest_type \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $TERRALAB_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"area":{"place":"Morcenx, France","radius_m":3000}}'
```

```python
import os
import requests

response = requests.post(
    "https://mcp.terra-lab.ai/v1/tools/get_forest_type",
    headers={"Authorization": f"Bearer {os.environ['TERRALAB_API_KEY']}"},
    json={
        "area": {
            "place": "Morcenx, France",
            "radius_m": 3000,
        },
    },
    timeout=120,
)
response.raise_for_status()
print(response.json()["structuredContent"])
```

```javascript
const response = await fetch('https://mcp.terra-lab.ai/v1/tools/get_forest_type', {
  method: 'POST',
  headers: {
    Authorization: `Bearer ${process.env.TERRALAB_API_KEY}`,
    'Content-Type': 'application/json',
  },
  body: JSON.stringify({
    "area": {
      "place": "Morcenx, France",
      "radius_m": 3000
    }
  }),
});
const data = await response.json();
console.log(data.structuredContent);
```

Other valid request bodies:

```json
{"area":{"bbox":[-60.2,-2.6,-60.1,-2.5]}}
```

## Parameters

A JSON object in the request body; in an MCP client, the arguments of the tool call.

| Name | Type | Required | Description |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `area` | object | Yes | The area: a bbox, or a place (name, address or coordinates) with an optional radius in metres. The place the user asks about, not the user's own location. |
| `area.bbox` | array of number | No | [west, south, east, north] in decimal degrees (WGS 84). Exactly 4 items. |
| `area.place` | string or object | No | A place name or address, or a point. |
| `area.radius_m` | number | No | Radius around the place in metres. From 1 to 100000. |

## Response

`structuredContent` holds the result, `content` the same result as text for a model, and `isError` is `true` when the tool refused the request or failed; then `structuredContent.code`, `message` and `hint` say what to change.

```json
{
  "structuredContent": {
    "sources": [{ "name": "...", "licence": "...", "url": "..." }],
    "downloads": [{ "label": "...", "format": "...", "url": "...", "name": "..." }]
  },
  "content": [{ "type": "text", "text": "..." }],
  "isError": false
}
```

Every result lists its `sources` with their licence. File results come as `downloads`: each link builds its file when opened.

## Errors

A missing key answers `401`, an empty balance `402`, too many calls `429`. A call that fails or finds nothing is not counted. See [Errors and rate limits](https://terra-lab.ai/docs/errors).

## Description for agents

The text the server gives an agent to decide when to call this tool:

> Use this when the user asks whether a forest is natural, primary, naturally regenerating, planted, a plantation or tree crops (oil palm, cocoa, coffee, rubber, orchards, agroforestry), for example for EUDR due diligence (deforestation-free sourcing, 2020 cut-off), certification, a carbon or biodiversity project or a land purchase. The area is a bbox, a place, or a place with a radius (default 1,000 m), at most about 300 km². Reads Forest Typology (ForTy) 2020 v1 by Google DeepMind, a 10 m global map, and returns the share of each class in percent and hectares (primary forest, naturally regenerating forest, planted forest, plantation forest, tree crops and agroforestry, other land), the dominant class, a map, and a GeoTIFF of the class raster clipped to the area that opens in QGIS. Caveat: 2020 baseline; planted vs naturally regenerating is the least reliable class. Not for forest loss after 2020, tree height or species. Never use the user's current location unless they type it. Download links build their file when opened; no file is saved. Never pass these links to open_gis_file.


Source: https://terra-lab.ai/docs/api/get_forest_type · Updated 2026-10-27