Autumn colours spread across the forests of central Slovakia

Forests cover more than 40% of Slovakia, and beech is the most abundant tree species in the country. Every autumn, shorter days and cooler temperatures cause beech leaves to change colour.

This image, acquired by one of the Copernicus Sentinel-2 satellites on 28 October 2026, shows the mountains around the city of Banská Bystrica in central Slovakia. Yellow, orange, and brown tones mark the beech-dominated forests of the lower slopes, while the spruce forests to the north remain dark green. Snow covers the highest ridges of the Low Tatras and Veľká Fatra mountain ranges, and low clouds fill a valley to the north-west of the city.

Copernicus Sentinel-2 data support the monitoring of forests and seasonal changes in vegetation, contributing to forest management and biodiversity conservation.