Satellite-based remote sensing offers great potential for frequent assessment of forest cover over broad spatial scales, however, calibration and validation using ground-based surveys are needed. In the study, forest cover estimates for the United States from a recently developed land surface cover map generated from satellite remote sensing data were compared to state-level inventory data from the U.S. National Resources Planning Act Timber Database. Comparisons revealed close agreement in the estimate of forest cover for extensively forested states with large polygons of relatively similar vegetation such as Oregon. Larger forest cover differences were observed in other states with some regional patterns in the level of agreement apparent.The remote sensing approach appears to hold promise for conducting surveys of forest cover where inventory data are limited or where rates of vegetation change, due to human or climatic factors, are rapid. (Copyright (c) 1993 Kluwer Academic Publishers.)