Page 11 - 2417

Corsini et al. Carbon Footprints 2026, 5, 34 Page 7 of 20

(ii) Estimation of a weighted average that favors what is closest to the edge, regardless of the geometry or size
of the RR.

Í
= Í =1 ( ) (4)

=1 ( )
Where:

• PL is the Weighted Landscape Class Proportion, ranging from 0 to 1 (unitless);
w

• w(d) is the distance-based weight assigned to pixel i, unitless;
i

• n is the total number of pixels within the RR;

• b is a binary variable equal to 1 if pixel i is deforested and 0 otherwise.
i

Lower PL values reflect negligible or spatially distant deforestation relative to the project boundary, whereas
w
higher values denote greater deforestation intensity and increasing edge-proximal concentration.

Unlike a simple proportional metric, PL captures not only how much deforestation exists in the
w
surrounding landscape, but also how spatially proximate it is to the project area, thereby providing a more
meaningful representation of pressure gradients.

• Estimation of the alpha
The parameter α defines the maximum extent to which degradation can spread from the edge of a project
area. Its value is derived empirically by applying a pressure adjustment factor (Fp) to the radius of the RR
(RR radius ) (see Equation 5), ensuring that α responds proportionally to the level of external disturbances to
which the area is exposed. Ultimately, α represents the structural attributes of the landscape in the
surroundings of the area, in relation to the deforestation class.

√
= ∗ radius , = (5)

Where:

• α is the maximum spatial extent over which external anthropogenic pressure exerts influence on the Project
Area, expressed in meters;

• RR is the radius is the radius of the RR, expressed in meters;

• Fp is the pressure adjustment factor, unitless.

BETA (β): decay rate of degradation influence
The parameter β controls the rate at which the degradation influence attenuates with distance in the
exponential model. It represents the structural susceptibility of the forested landscape to edge-driven
degradation and is determined by fragment size and fragment shape , two well-established controls on edge
[40]
exposure and core-area buffering in landscape ecology. Fragments with higher edge-to-area ratios, typically