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by and - Indigenous Peoples and other communities hold and manage 50 to 60 percent of the world's land, yet governments recognize only 10 percent as legally belonging to these groups. That's bad economic policy, shows a new WRI report.
deforestation
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by Helen Ding, Peter Veit, Erin Gray, Katie Reytar, Juan-Carlos Altamirano, Allen Blackman and Benjamin Hodgdon - October 2016 data visualization
Tenure-secure indigenous and other community forestlands are often linked to low deforestation rates, significant forest cover, and the sustainable production of timber and other forest products. New WRI research shows that securing indigenous forestland is also a low-cost, high-benefit investment and therefore makes good economic sense.
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by Austin Clowes - October 05, 2016Rosewood is prized for use in guitar fretboards, but widespread trafficking demands stricter attention to protection.
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by Arief Wijaya, Susan Minnemeyer, Reidinar Juliane, Octavia Payne and Andres Chamorro - September 19, 2016The number of fires burning in Indonesia's forests is 75 percent lower this year than the same time in 2015. Weather and policy changes could be responsible.
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by Austin Clowes - September 15, 2016Many guitar makers use "figured" wood, desired for its wavy or rippled appearance. Bigleaf maple from the U.S. Pacific Northwest can act as a sustainable and beautiful source of figured wood.
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by Hayden Higgins and Aaron Minnick - September 13, 2016The country’s commitment to restore 5.1 million hectares of degraded forests and drylands into productivity adds to a growing, global movement.
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by Sofia Faruqi - September 07, 2016The world spends about $50 billion on restoration and conservation every year. That's about $300 billion less than what's needed.
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by Charles Victor Barber - August 31, 2016The World Conservation Congress, held every four years, is one of the greatest demonstrations of conservation innovations. Three in particular provide promising opportunities to curb deforestation, protect wildlife and foster sustainable development.
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by Yiyuan Qin and Todd Gartner - August 30, 2016GFW Water, a new mapping tool, explores how tree loss, fires and erosion in forests affects downstream water supplies—and how investing in “natural infrastructure” can help.
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by James Anderson and Mikaela Weisse - August 24, 2016A new satellite alert system on Global Forest Watch tracks weekly tree cover loss throughout Brazil. The tool can help government officials, law enforcement agencies and even the public keep an eye on the country's forests.
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by Sarah Weber and Kathleen Buckingham - August 03, 2016While Latin America and the Caribbean have lost an area of land the size of Mexico to deforestation and degradation, all hope is not lost. Restoration success stories from three nations point to a way forward.
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by Susan Minnemeyer, Sarah Sargent, Karyn Tabor and Greg Soter - July 07, 2016The new Fire Risk Map on Global Forest Watch shows where dry conditions increase fire risk in Indonesia and Malaysia. The tool can help decision-makers take action to prevent forest fires before they ignite.
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WASHINGTON (June 8, 2016)— World Resources Institute finds that analyzing the forests and plantations near palm oil mills can help identify deforestation risk and prevent it. Launched today on Global Forest Watch Commodities, the new PALM Risk Tool will help companies meet their zero deforestation commitments by providing much-needed transparency into the sustainability of the palm oil they buy.
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by Ruth Nogueron, Loretta Cheung and Emily Kaldjian - May 25, 2016The illegal logging trade steals valuable natural resources and undercuts companies' profitability. That's why businesses and governments are turning to new technology applications to expose illicitly harvested lumber.
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by Rachael Petersen, Susan Minnemeyer and Wynet Smith - May 11, 2016Satellites have detected more than 1,000 active fire points around Fort McMurray, Canada in the last week. Data from the Global Forest Watch platform provides context on what's happening in these northern forests.
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by Nancy Harris and Sarah Sargent - April 21, 2016Drained peatland caused by agricultural expansion is an important but little-known source of emissions in tropical regions. New WRI research finds that the annual emissions from peat drainage in Indonesia and Malaysia equate to emissions from nearly 70 coal plants, or the total annual emissions of Vietnam.
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New research from World Resources Institute finds the average American could cut their diet-related environmental impacts nearly in half just by eating less meat and dairy. Shifting Diets for a Sustainable Food Future presents solutions to the challenge of feeding a growing population by reducing animal protein consumption, especially beef, and helping shift billions of people to more sustainable diets.
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by Sarah Weber and Kathleen Buckingham - April 11, 2016Giving farmers legal rights to land and natural resources has helped improve degraded landscapes in Ethiopia, Niger and Tanzania. In turn, it's also helped boost food security, alleviate poverty and curb climate change.
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by Octavia Payne - April 01, 2016New satellite-based research shows that forest loss in tiger habitats was lower than expected, just 8 million hectares over the last 14 years, less than 8 percent of total tiger habitat. With the right conservation and monitoring, scientists say tiger populations can double or even triple in the coming decades.