Woody cover mapping dataset for Toliara II district, southwestern Madagascar (1989–2025): annual maps, field validation plots, and photo-interpretation data

This dataset supports a 36-year study of woody cover dynamics in the xerophytic thickets of the Toliara II district, southwestern Madagascar (23°00'–24°30' S, 43°30'–44°30' E; 4,826 km²). It includes: (1) 35 annual woody cover maps at 30-m resolution produced by a Random Forest regression model applied to harmonized Landsat time series (1989–2025, excluding 2002–2003); (2) 41 field validation plots (30 × 30 m, April–May 2022); (3) 505 photo-interpreted plots (50 × 50 m, Collect Earth Online, 2021–2022)