Features Environment & Sustainability Forestry
New Global Forest Watch program employs new satellite technology

The World Resources Institute (WRI), Google, and a group of more than 40 partners has launched Global Forest Watch (GFW), a dynamic online forest monitoring and alert system that empowers people everywhere to better manage forests.

The World Resources Institute (WRI), Google, and a group of more than 40 partners has launched Global Forest Watch (GFW), a dynamic online forest monitoring and alert system that empowers people everywhere to better manage forests.

Global Forest Watch unites the latest satellite technology, open data, and crowdsourcing to provide access to timely and reliable information about forests.

“Businesses, governments and communities desperately want better information about forests. Now, they have it,” said Dr. Andrew Steer, president and CEO, WRI. “Global Forest Watch is a near-real time monitoring platform that will fundamentally change the way people and businesses manage forests. From now on, the bad guys cannot hide and the good guys will be recognized for their stewardship.”

According to data from the University of Maryland and Google, the world lost 2.3 million sq km (230 million hectares) of tree cover from 2000 to 2012 − equivalent to 50 soccer fields of forest lost every minute of every day for 12 years. The countries with the highest tree cover loss are Russia, Brazil, Canada, United States and Indonesia.

“We are honoured to partner with WRI and power the Global Forest Watch platform with Google cloud technology, massive data and turbo-powered science,” said Rebecca Moore, engineering manager, Google Earth Outreach and Earth Engine.

“GFW is an ambitious vision, and yet it’s both timely and achievable given WRI’s knowledge of environmental science and policy, strong partnerships, and the high-performance Google cloud technology that we’re donating to this initiative,” she said.

For more information visit http://www.globalforestwatch.org.