"Global Forest Watch (GFW) is backed by Google and over 40 business and campaigning groups.
It uses information from hundreds of millions of satellite images as well as data from people on the ground.
Businesses have welcomed the new database as it could help them prove that their products are sustainable.
Despite greater awareness around of the world of the impacts of deforestation, the scale of forest loss since 2000 has been significant - Data from Google and the University of Maryland says the world lost 230 million hectares of trees between 2000 and 2012.
Forest campaigners say this is the equivalent of 50 football fields of trees being cut down, every minute of every day over the past 12 years. "
It was said a squirrel could once run from tree to tree from the Ohio River to Lake Erie. That is probably not true today if it ever was, but Ohio is one state that has increased in tree numbers since so many were cut from 1850-1950 or so. That is a topic in itself.
Technology can be used for the good of man or not, it's up to us to make that decision.
Ed
Land clearing of trees has been going on here in the parklands since before my time. I like a few trees around and certainlly appreciate their shelter on a day like this with -40 wind chill factors. I'm keeping my trees. Sure the acres they cover could grow cash crops but I value the trees more than that. Future farmers will clear them out.
ReplyDeleteIt has here, too, Ralph. We have so many woodlots and good conditions for trees to grow that farmers struggle around here keeping the fence rows cleaned up!
ReplyDeleteEd