A combination of Google computer scientists, University of Maryland researchers, and the satellite-based program, Google Earth, constructed a map showing how the world's forests have changed from 2000 - 2012, Tree Hugger reported. Though the numbers aren't very good -- the world lost 1.5 million km of forest during that time period -- the model, in its locally and globally relevant detail, could slow the precipitous decline of earth's trees simply by raising awareness, according to Google's blog post on Thursday.
The map is the first of its kind, wrote Google blog authors Matt Hansen and Peter Potapov of the University of Maryland and Google computer scientists Rebecca Moore and Matt Hancher. Users can click through a series of graphics that show the world's forest in 2000, losses from 2000-2012, and gains from 2000-2012. (Brazil was one of the few nations that restored some of its woods during the time period.) At a more local level, users can zoom in to any forest in the world and track how that area has changed over the last 12 years.
"This product is the first of its kind, a global 30 meter resolution thematic map of the Earth's land surface that offers a consistent characterization of forest change at a resolution that is high enough to be locally relevant as well. It captures myriad forest dynamics, including fires, tornadoes, disease and logging," the scientists wrote.
Because of how clearly it presents information (see picture), the representation can objectively and effectively inform policy decision. Since Google is so accessible around the world, Hansen and his team see it as filling an "information void" for certain nations that can use the map as a starting point and an inspiration for environmental talks and action.
"The maps and statistics from this study fill an information void for many parts of the world," read the blog. "The results can be used as an initial reference for countries lacking such information, as a spur to capacity building in such countries, and as a basis of comparison in evolving national forest monitoring methods. Additionally, we hope it will enable further science investigations ranging from the evaluation of the integrity of protected areas to the economic drivers of deforestation to carbon cycle modeling."
Overall, the world lost 1.5 million km of forest between 2000 and 2012. Really, 2.3 million km was lost, but .8 million km was also gained and/or restored. Some areas that were most severely impacted by deforestation were Indonesia, Malaysia, Tanzania, Angola, Peru and Paraguay, according to the blog.
