Global Forest Watch Blog

Stay atop the latest forest research and news! The Global Forest Watch blog uses data to illuminate the state of forests worldwide and tells the stories of people dedicated to protecting them. Read about rainforests, deforestation, fires, sustainable agriculture, forest management and other topics critical to the future of forests.

Forest Loss Remained Stubbornly High in 2021

2021 tree cover loss data reveals that the tropics lost 11.1 million hectares of tree cover in 2021 — including 3.75 million hectares within tropical primary rainforests, equivalent to a rate of 10 football pitches a minute.

Global Forest Watch’s 2021 Data Update Explained

What does the data measure, what is different this year and how does it compare to other data sets? GFW’s 2021 data update explained.

Planet satellite imagery of primary forest removal in Kalimantan Barat, Indonesia on GFW map

Looking for the Quickest Signal of Deforestation? Turn to GFW’s Integrated Alerts

A new integrated deforestation alerts layer combines the analytical power of GLAD, GLAD-S2 and RADD deforestation alerts to provide a faster, more confident view of forest disturbances than any one individual system.

Latest articles

The Commodity Report: Soy Production’s Impact on Forests in South America

The combination of new data on soy production with annual tree cover loss shows sustainable soy production will require a holistic approach

Indigenous community monitors in Copal Urco plan a patrol to monitor deforestation

Supplied with Tech, Indigenous Forest Monitors Curb Deforestation

A recent study shows that indigenous forest monitors equipped with satellite data saw a 52% reduction in deforestation in the first year.

A community group in Aceh, Indonesia uses Forest Watcher to monitor deforestation

VIDEO: Patrol the Leuser Ecosystem with Forest Defenders at HAkA

It’s the last place on Earth where orangutans, Sumatran rhinos and elephants and tigers still roam wild together, and it’s under threat. The Leuser ecosystem in Indonesia is a hotspot for biodiversity and a vital carbon sink, but encroachment from logging and oil palm and rubber plantations is eating away at the forest. Forest, Nature and Environment of Aceh (HAkA), an organization dedicated to protecting the environment in Indonesia’s […]

Deforested area close to Alegria, Madre de Dios.

Higher Resolution Alerts Offer More Detailed Picture of Forest Loss

There’s a new deforestation alert system in town, and it’s monitoring forest loss across the Amazon Basin in greater detail than ever before.

satellite data image of amazon rainforest

Assessing Trends in Tree Cover Loss Over 20 Years of Data

As satellite data has improved over time, tree cover loss detection has improved with it. Here’s what that means for analyzing forest trends

2021 Must Be a Turning Point for Forests. 2020 Data Shows Us Why

Data on forest loss in 2020 shows that this next year will be pivotal to protecting forests and mitigating climate change.

Primary Rainforest Destruction Increased 12% from 2019 to 2020

2020 tree cover loss data reveals the world lost 4.2 million hectares of primary rainforests last year— an area the size of the Netherlands.

Stripped earth at an Arco Minero gold mine in Venezuela.

Venezuelan People and Forests Suffer as Gold Mining Advances

The Arco Minero — a massive gold mining operation — has threatened Venezuela’s forests and the Indigenous communities that live there.

New Radar Alerts Monitor Forests Through the Clouds

New radar alerts (RADD), have improved detection of deforestation for 31 countries and aid companies pursuing sustainable supply chains