Forests

The most powerful tool to save forests is now operational

It is called Global Forest Watch and, to date, it seems to be the most effective and the fastest tool to monitor the conservation status of forests all over the world, and to contribute to prevent illegal logging. It is a well-known datum that every minute a forest area of the dimensions of 50 soccer fields

It is called Global Forest Watch and, to date, it seems to be the most effective and the fastest tool to monitor the conservation status of forests all over the world, and to contribute to prevent illegal logging. It is a well-known datum that every minute a forest area of the dimensions of 50 soccer fields disappears, but answering where, when and who is way more complicated. When the local responsible is identified, it’s too late to do something.

 

 

Thus, the World Resources Institute launched a cutting-edge project thanks to the collaboration of 40 partners, including Google, the University of Maryland, Esri and Imazon. The Global Forest Watch combines for the first time ever unlimited data to millions of high definition satellite images, collected over 40 years and made available by the United States Geological Survey, American geological company.

 

This tool allows a real-time monitoring of worldwide forests’ status. NGOs can launch and share warnings of anomalous situations just as they take place, or they can sign up in order to receive alerts by other users. Everyone can join it and ask governments, companies and organisations for immediate answers, in order to stop illegal deforestation.

 

The planet lost 2.3 million square kilometres of forests between 2000 and 2012, contributing to exacerbate climate change. Forests, in fact, absorb and store CO2, but just few people notice it. If a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound? Probably it doesn’t. However, from now on, everybody can hear the sound of every tree that falls, and prevent other trees to fall.

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