ReCover project will develop beyond state-of-the-art service capabilities to support fighting deforestation and forest degradation in the tropical region. The pilot service capabilities mean provision of a monitoring system of forest cover and forest cover changes and biomass including a robust accuracy assessment. The capabilities are based on utilizing mainly space-borne earth observation data and in-situ data.The service development is controlled by specific user requirements that are expressed through Service Level Agreements (SLA) between the ReCover consortium and six users. The services prepare particularly for the implementation of the post-Kyoto climate treaty and the REDD+.Service roll-out and expansion to the community outside the project and present pilot users is a key activity of ReCover. The outside community includes but is not restricted to TREES-3 project, GSE Forest Monitoring Extension, FRA, and GEO. The scientific viewpoint that reaches beyond the state-of-the-art techniques is the leading baseline of the study.The main research focus in ReCover is to develop a sound statistical concept and validation procedure in the production, apply very high resolution image data to improve result reliability, estimate biomass and degradation as well as their change, define the role of radar data in REDD related services, and build standardized service system with a capacity building concept.The consortium consists of nine leading research and industrial partners of which one is an SME. Three partners are from REDD eligible countries. The high impact value of ReCover is achieved by working directly for and with the customers and with local research partners, creating novel, trustworthy and standardized but affordable services and applying them in INSPIRE compatible service environment. The long-term service sustainability is concerned including evaluation of the potential of new missions such as the Sentinels.