New harvest site data layer strengthens AHA’s support for EUDR due diligence

The AHA Platform is introducing a new harvest site data layer on 16 October 2026, providing more detailed geolocation information to support the due diligence requirements of the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR). The new layer represents a significant development in the AHA Platform and has been designed in response to the growing need for reliable harvest site information for U.S. hardwood products entering the European Union.

Why harvest site information matters

Under the EUDR, EU operators and traders must be able to provide geolocation information for the land where relevant commodities, including wood, were produced. For wood products, this means identifying the locations where the timber was harvested. AHA Statements currently provide sourcing information at county level. This information is an important part of AHA’s risk assessment methodology, but county-level information alone does not provide the more detailed harvest site geolocation information required to support EUDR due diligence. The new harvest site data layer has therefore been developed to provide an additional level of geolocation information, while avoiding the need for AHA Platform users to undertake additional harvest site data collection.

What the new data layer does

The new layer identifies harvest site geolocations across all assessed U.S. hardwood counties for the preceding 12 months.

It will provide:

• polygons for detected harvest sites greater than four hectares;
• points for smaller or selective harvests, including harvesting activity that may leave much of the forest canopy intact; and
• a comprehensive pool of real and potential harvest sites within relevant source counties, from which AHA users and recipients of AHA Statements will be able to generate a separate GeoJSON file.

This approach is designed to support a “declaration in excess” approach where material is aggregated or commingled, while protecting commercially sensitive information about individual landowner supply arrangements. The harvest site information is provided as an additional data layer alongside the existing AHA assessment and Statement functionality.

How are harvest sites identified?

Identifying harvest activity in U.S. hardwood forests presents particular technical challenges. Many hardwood harvests are relatively small and selective. Unlike large-scale clear-cutting, these operations can leave much of the forest canopy intact and may therefore be difficult to distinguish from natural disturbance using conventional satellite imagery alone.

The AHA team has developed a methodology that combines several sources of information and analytical techniques. These include:

• analysis of changes across multiple spectral bands in satellite imagery;
• corroborating information on forest structure and biomass;
• high-resolution imagery reviewed by experts through AHA’s Expert Eye tool; and
• AI-assisted analysis and advances in processing capability that allow these techniques to be applied across the scale of U.S. hardwood sourcing.

Expert review also provides additional checks and training data to help improve the identification of harvest activity over time.

Developed with the supply chain and EU stakeholders

The development of the new layer has been informed by consultation with U.S. exporters, the wider U.S. forest products sector and EU importers. The approach has received encouraging feedback from stakeholders involved in EUDR due diligence, including experienced EU importer compliance specialists. The harvest site data is also undergoing rigorous pilot testing on the TRACES “Acceptance” server to assess compatibility with the technical requirements for submitting geolocation information for EUDR due diligence purposes. AHA will continue to engage with relevant EU Member State Competent Authorities and the European Commission as the new functionality is implemented.

What does this mean for AHA Platform users?

The new layer has been designed so that AHA Platform users do not need to collect additional harvest site information themselves. Following the 16 October launch, users and recipients of AHA Statements will be able to access the additional harvest site information associated with their relevant source counties and generate the GeoJSON data needed to support their EUDR due diligence processes.

Because the new functionality introduces a significant new category of data to the Platform, existing users will be asked to accept updated Terms and Conditions when they next access the Platform after launch. The updated Terms and Conditions include specific provisions governing the use and onward sharing of harvest site data for EUDR purposes.

What happens on 16 October?

The new harvest site data layer, Harvest Site Analysis v2026.26.1, is scheduled to go live on 16 October 2026. The AHA Platform will be unavailable between 4:00 and 9:00 AM U.S. Eastern while the update is applied.

AHA Platform users do not need to take any action before the update. Once the Platform is live, users will be prompted to review and accept the updated Terms and Conditions when they next log in; and the AHA team will confirm when the update is complete.

Further information

AHA will be holding a series of online briefings for registered Platform users and EU importers to explain the new harvest site data layer and how it can be used to support EUDR due diligence. Further information about these briefings will be shared directly with relevant users.

If you have questions about the new harvest site data layer or the AHA Platform, please contact rupert@americanhardwood.org