Global Forest Watch

Tool Description : An interactive forest monitoring platform that uses satellite imagery, geospatial data & environmental datasets to track forest loss, land-use change, fires, biodiversity risks etc.

Global Forest Watch

Quick Overview

URL

https://www.globalforestwatch.org/map/

What it does

Maps and monitors global forest change using satellite data, allowing you to analyse deforestation, forest loss, land cover and environmental threats.

How to use it

Search for a location, select relevant map layers, analyse forest changes over time, and export data or create reports.

Cost

Free.

Account required

No (optional account available for saving projects and analysis).

Essential first-party session and analytics cookies.

Ownership

Developed by the World Resources Institute (WRI) with support from partners including Google, NASA, and other environmental organisations.

Use in Reporting

Useful for environmental investigations, land-use analysis, supply-chain research, climate reporting and monitoring activities affecting forests.

What does Global Forest Watch do?

Global Forest Watch is an online monitoring platform that combines satellite imagery, geographic information systems (GIS), machine-learning analysis and environmental datasets to provide near real-time information about forests worldwide. You can investigate where forests are being lost, identify areas affected by fires or land-use change, compare historical trends, and analyse environmental risks.

The lowdown: The tool transforms complex satellite and environmental datasets into an accessible mapping platform.

Note: It’s not a replacement for detailed satellite imagery analysis but works well as a starting point for identifying areas of interest and generating investigative leads.

How to Use:

1. Search for a location, company area, country or region of interest.

2. Enable relevant datasets such as tree cover loss, fires, protected areas, mining activity, plantations or land-use layers.

3. Analyse changes over time and cross-reference findings with satellite imagery, government records, company information and additional OSINT sources.

Cost

Free
Partially Free
Paid

Data Processing

Account Required:

Optional account available for saving projects and analysis.

Cookies:

The site uses essential first-party session and analytics cookies to maintain functionality, recognise returning users and support platform performance.

Use in Reporting

Global Forest Watch can support reporting by:

Providing satellite-derived evidence of forest loss and land-use change.
Supporting investigations into illegal logging, mining expansion and agricultural development.
Tracking environmental impacts linked to companies, governments and supply chains.
Comparing forest conditions across different time periods.
Providing geographic context for climate, conservation and environmental stories.
Supporting verification of claims made by organisations regarding sustainability commitments.
Creating maps and visual evidence for investigative reports and publications.

Capabilities

Limitations

Provides global forest monitoring using satellite imagery and geospatial datasets.

Satellite-derived data may contain uncertainty and require interpretation.

Tracks tree cover loss, forest gain, fires and land-use changes over time.

Doesn’t always provide immediate confirmation of the cause of forest loss.

Allows users to analyse specific locations, countries, or areas of interest.

Resolution may not be sufficient for small-scale changes or individual activities.

Combines environmental datasets including protected areas, mining, agriculture and infrastructure.

Historical coverage and accuracy vary depending on location and dataset.

Supports visualisation and export of maps and data for reporting.

Requires additional sources to attribute responsibility for environmental damage.

Helps identify potential environmental changes requiring further investigation.

Summary

Global Forest Watch fits best within the discovery, geolocation, verification and evidence-gathering stages of the OSINT workflow, helping investigators identify locations of interest and gather supporting evidence before conducting deeper analysis using satellite imagery, official records and additional datasets.

Ownership

Developed by the World Resources Institute (WRI) with support from partners including Google, NASA, and other environmental organisations.

Ethical Considerations

Ensure satellite-derived findings are accurately interpreted before publication.
Avoid presenting detected forest loss as proof of illegal activity without corroborating evidence.
Consider the impact of reporting sensitive locations, particularly conservation areas or indigenous territories.
Clearly distinguish between observed environmental change and confirmed responsibility.
Credit data providers and acknowledge limitations of satellite analysis.
Use environmental intelligence responsibly and avoid misleading conclusions.