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

Global Nature Watch Blog

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

Read about data-backed topics critical to the future of forests, including rainforests, deforestation, fires, sustainable agriculture, forest monitoring and management.

Forest News, Research & Monitoring | Global Forest Watch Blog

Global Forest Watch Content

https://content.globalforestwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/gfwGlobal.png

We are excited to announce that Global Forest Watch is becoming Global Nature Watch. Read our announcement to learn how the new name reflects the next evolution of our work, and what this means for users. <a href="https://www.globalforestwatch.org/blog/data-and-tools/gfw-now-global-nature-watch/?utm_medium=notification&#038;utm_source=gfwnoticeboard&#038;utm_campaign=gnwannoucement">Learn more</a>.

News from Global Nature Watch

Users In Action

Hear stories from the forest defenders working in the field.

Users In Action | Global Forest Watch Blog

Small grants fund

Small grants fund | Global Forest Watch Blog

Stephanie Borcea

The Next Generation of Grantees: Introducing the 2026–2027 Small Grants Fund Recipients

We are excited to welcome the 11th cohort of Small Grants Fund grantees. Learn about their projects to protect the forests they know best.

Introducing the 2026–2027 Small Grants Fund Recipients

Comment

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Paige Johnson

Data &amp; Tools

Data &amp; Tools | Global Forest Watch Blog

Forest Insights

Forest Insights | Global Forest Watch Blog

We are excited to announce that Global Forest Watch is becoming Global Nature Watch.



This new name reflects the next evolution of our work: Advancing forest monitoring while expanding our data, tools and insights to a broader range of landscapes, including grasslands, agricultural lands, trees outside of forests and more. By building a greater understanding of these critical ecosystems, we aim to create a more complete picture of Earth’s changing landscapes.



Advances in AI, satellite science and geospatial technologies are also creating new opportunities to make environmental information more accessible and actionable for people working to protect, restore and sustainably manage land. Under Global Nature Watch, we will help bring these innovations together to drive the next generation of forest and nature monitoring — with much of this work already taking shape through <a href="https://horizon.globalnaturewatch.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Global Nature Watch Horizon</a>, the new name for Global Nature Watch’s innovative AI-driven platform in preview.



Our vision is ambitious: To help anyone working to protect, restore or sustainably manage forests and other key landscapes make informed decisions based on the latest environmental intelligence, regardless of language or technical expertise.



Global Forest Watch is why we’re here today. Global Nature Watch is our path forward.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">What does this mean for Global Forest Watch users?</h2>



Although the name is changing, our commitment remains the same: To provide open access to the best available data and tools to help people everywhere protect and restore nature, strengthen livelihoods and address climate change. Forests remain central to our mission and foundational to the future of Global Nature Watch.



As Global Nature Watch expands data and coverage beyond forests, users will be able to monitor interconnected landscapes, helping improve understanding of the drivers of forest change, identify emerging threats and make more informed management decisions. For those working in mixed landscapes, this broader perspective provides valuable context for understanding forest health and resilience.



Right now, nothing is changing for users except the name. Our users will continue to have access to the data, tools and workflows they currently rely on as Global Forest Watch becomes Global Nature Watch.



Specifically:  



<ul>
<li>Saved areas of interest in myGFW will remain available. </li>



<li>Subscriptions and alert notifications will continue uninterrupted. </li>



<li>Existing monitoring workflows, including syncing with Forest Watcher, will remain in place. </li>



<li>Saved links and bookmarks will still work.</li>
</ul>



Over time you will see a new look and improved user experience that reflects the continued evolution of our capabilities and coverage. You can explore what’s in development on <a href="https://horizon.globalnaturewatch.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Global Nature Watch Horizon</a>, where your feedback is incredibly important.



We are grateful to our community who has helped shape this work over the past decade, and we look forward to building the future of Global Nature Watch together. Our user community will continue to play an important role as new capabilities and tools evolve. We look forward to sharing more about what’s next for Global Nature Watch.



Join our mailing list to receive regular updates throughout this journey. If you have any questions, please contact us at <a href="mailto:gfw@wri.org">gfw@wri.org</a>.



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Global Forest Watch is Becoming Global Nature Watch

We are excited to announce that Global Forest Watch is becoming Global Nature Watch.



This new name reflects the next evolution of our work: Advancing forest monitoring while expanding our data, tools and insights to a broader range of landscapes, including grasslands, agricultural lands, trees outside of forests and more. By building a greater understanding of these critical ecosystems, we aim to create a more complete picture of Earth's changing landscapes.



Advances in AI, satellite science and geospatial technologies are also creating new opportunities to make environmental information more accessible and actionable for people working to protect, restore and sustainably manage land. Under Global Nature Watch, we will help bring these innovations together to drive the next generation of forest and nature monitoring — with much of this work already taking shape through <a href="https://horizon.globalnaturewatch.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Global Nature Watch Horizon</a>, the new name for Global Nature Watch’s innovative AI-driven platform in preview.



Our vision is ambitious: To help anyone working to protect, restore or sustainably manage forests and other key landscapes make informed decisions based on the latest environmental intelligence, regardless of language or technical expertise.



Global Forest Watch is why we’re here today. Global Nature Watch is our path forward.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">What does this mean for Global Forest Watch users?</h2>



Although the name is changing, our commitment remains the same: To provide open access to the best available data and tools to help people everywhere protect and restore nature, strengthen livelihoods and address climate change. Forests remain central to our mission and foundational to the future of Global Nature Watch.



As Global Nature Watch expands data and coverage beyond forests, users will be able to monitor interconnected landscapes, helping improve understanding of the drivers of forest change, identify emerging threats and make more informed management decisions. For those working in mixed landscapes, this broader perspective provides valuable context for understanding forest health and resilience.



Right now, nothing is changing for users except the name. Our users will continue to have access to the data, tools and workflows they currently rely on as Global Forest Watch becomes Global Nature Watch.



Specifically:  



<ul>
<li>Saved areas of interest in myGFW will remain available. </li>



<li>Subscriptions and alert notifications will continue uninterrupted. </li>



<li>Existing monitoring workflows, including syncing with Forest Watcher, will remain in place. </li>



<li>Saved links and bookmarks will still work.</li>
</ul>



Over time you will see a new look and improved user experience that reflects the continued evolution of our capabilities and coverage. You can explore what’s in development on <a href="https://horizon.globalnaturewatch.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Global Nature Watch Horizon</a>, where your feedback is incredibly important.



We are grateful to our community who has helped shape this work over the past decade, and we look forward to building the future of Global Nature Watch together. Our user community will continue to play an important role as new capabilities and tools evolve. We look forward to sharing more about what's next for Global Nature Watch.



Join our mailing list to receive regular updates throughout this journey. If you have any questions, please contact us at <a href="mailto:gfw@wri.org">gfw@wri.org</a>.



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É com entusiasmo que anunciamos que&nbsp;o Global Forest&nbsp;Watch&nbsp;passa a se chamar&nbsp;Global&nbsp;Nature&nbsp;Watch.&nbsp;



O novo nome reflete a evolução do nosso trabalho: continuamos avançando no monitoramento de florestas, ao mesmo tempo em que ampliamos nossos dados, ferramentas e análises para abranger uma diversidade maior de paisagens, como pastagens, áreas agrícolas, árvores fora de florestas e outros ecossistemas. Ao integrar essas diferentes informações, buscamos oferecer uma visão mais coompleta das transformações que ocorrem nas paisagens do planeta.



Os avanços em inteligência artificial, sensoriamento remoto e tecnologias geoespaciais também abrem novas possibilidades para tornar as informações ambientais mais acessíveis e úteis às pessoas que atuam na proteção, restauração e gestão sustentável da terra. No Global Nature Watch, reunimos essas inovações para impulsionar uma nova geração de ferramentas de monitoramento da natureza. Parte desse trabalho já está em desenvolvimento no <a href="https://horizon.globalnaturewatch.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Global Nature Watch Horizon</a>, nossa nova plataforma, atualmente disponível em versão prévia, que incorpora recursos de inteligência artificial. 



Nossa visão é ambiciosa: permitir que qualquer pessoa envolvida na proteção, restauração ou gestão sustentável de florestas e outras paisagens estratégicas possa tomar decisões mais bem fundamentadas, com base nas informações ambientais mais atualizadas, independentemente do idioma ou do nível de conhecimento técnico.



Global Forest Watch nos trouxe até aqui. O Global Nature Watch representa o próximo passo dessa trajetória.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">O que&nbsp;muda para os usuários do Global Forest Watch?&nbsp;&nbsp;</h2>



Embora o nome esteja mudando, nosso compromisso permanece o mesmo:&nbsp;oferecer acesso aberto aos melhores dados e ferramentas disponíveis para apoiar pessoas e organizações na proteção e restauração da natureza, no fortalecimento dos meios de vida e no enfrentamento das mudanças climáticas. As florestas continuam no centro da nossa missão e seguirão sendo parte fundamental do futuro do Global&nbsp;Nature&nbsp;Watch.&nbsp;



Ao ampliar a cobertura para além das florestas, o Global&nbsp;Nature&nbsp;Watch permitirá que os usuários monitorem paisagens interconectadas, compreendam melhor os fatores que influenciam as mudanças nas florestas, identifiquem ameaças emergentes e tomem decisões de gestão mais embasadas. Para quem atua em paisagens multifuncionais, essa visão integrada oferece um contexto mais amplo para avaliar a saúde e a resiliência dos ecossistemas florestais.&nbsp;



Neste momento, a única mudança é o nome. Os usuários continuarão tendo acesso aos dados, ferramentas e funcionalidades que já utilizam atualmente durante toda a transição para o Global Nature Watch.



Especificamente:  



<ul>
<li>As áreas de interesse salvas no myGFW continuarão disponíveis. </li>



<li>As assinaturas e notificações de alertas continuarão sem interrupção. </li>



<li>Os fluxos de trabalho de monitoramento existentes, incluindo a sincronização com o Forest Watcher, serão mantidos. </li>



<li>Os links e favoritos salvos continuarão funcionando.</li>
</ul>



Ao longo dos próximos meses, você começará a perceber uma nova identidade visual e melhorias na experiência de uso, refletindo a evolução contínua de nossas ferramentas e capacidades. Também convidamos você a conhecer o <a href="https://horizon.globalnaturewatch.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Global Nature Watch Horizon</a> e compartilhar sua experiência. Seu feedback será essencial para orientar o desenvolvimento das próximas funcionalidades.   



Somos gratos à comunidade de usuários que ajudou a construir essa trajetória ao longo da última década. Continuaremos contando com essa colaboração para desenvolver novas ferramentas e capacidades, e esperamos compartilhar&nbsp;em breve as próximas novidades do Global&nbsp;Nature&nbsp;Watch.&nbsp;&nbsp;



Inscreva-se em nossa lista de e-mails para acompanhar as atualizações dessa nova etapa. Caso tenha dúvidas, entre em contato conosco pelo e-mail&nbsp;<a href="mailto:gfw@wri.org" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">gfw@wri.org</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;



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Global Forest Watch passa a se chamar Global Nature Watch

Nous&nbsp;avons le plaisir&nbsp;d’annoncer que&nbsp;Global Forest Watch devient Global Nature Watch.&nbsp;



Ce nouveau nom reflète la prochaine évolution de notre travail : faire progresser la surveillance des forêts tout en élargissant nos données, outils et analyses à un plus large éventail&nbsp;de milieux, tels que les terres herbeuses, les terres agricoles, les arbres hors des forêts, etc.&nbsp;En approfondissant notre compréhension de ces écosystèmes critiques, nous visons à créer une image plus complète&nbsp;des changements qui s'opèrent dans les&nbsp;mileux&nbsp;terrestres.&nbsp;



Les progrès réalisés dans les domaines de l’intelligence artificielle, de la science satellitaire et des technologies géospatiales créent également de nouvelles opportunités pour rendre les informations environnementales plus accessibles et plus exploitables les acteurs engagés dans la protection, la restauration et la gestion durable des terres. Dans le cadre de Global Nature Watch, nous contribuerons à rassembler ces innovations pour propulser la prochaine génération de surveillance des forêts et de la nature — une grande partie de ce travail prenant déjà forme à travers <a href="https://horizon.globalnaturewatch.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Global Nature Watch Horizon</a>, le nouveau nom de la plateforme innovante de Global Nature Watch basée sur l’IA et actuellement en version préliminaire. 



Notre vision est ambitieuse : aider toute personne œuvrant à la protection, à la restauration ou à la gestion durable des forêts et d’autres&nbsp;milieux essentiels&nbsp;à prendre des décisions éclairées fondées sur les dernières informations environnementales, quelle que soit leur langue ou leur expertise technique.&nbsp;



Global Forest Watch est la raison&nbsp;pour laquelle nous sommes ici aujourd’hui. Global Nature Watch est notre voie&nbsp;pour progresser.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Qu’est-ce que cela signifie pour les utilisateurs de Global Forest Watch ?&nbsp;</h2>



Bien que le nom change, notre engagement reste le même : offrir un accès ouvert aux meilleures données et aux meilleurs outils disponibles pour aider les populations du monde entier à protéger et restaurer la nature, améliorer les moyens de subsistance et lutter contre le changement climatique. Les forêts restent au cœur de notre mission et sont fondamentales pour l’avenir de Global Nature Watch.&nbsp;&nbsp;



Au fur et à mesure que Global Nature Watch étend ses données et sa couverture au-delà des forêts, les utilisateurs pourront surveiller des milieux interconnectés, contribuant ainsi à une meilleure compréhension des facteurs de changement forestier, à l’identification des menaces émergentes et à des prises de décision de gestion plus éclairées. Pour ceux qui travaillent dans des milieux mixtes, cette perspective plus large fournit un contexte précieux pour comprendre la santé et la résilience des forêts.



Pour l’instant, rien ne change pour les utilisateurs,&nbsp;sauf&nbsp;le nom.&nbsp;Nos utilisateurs continueront d’avoir accès aux données, outils et flux de travail dont ils dépendent actuellement,&nbsp;alors&nbsp;que Global Forest Watch devient Global Nature Watch.&nbsp;



Plus précisément :  



<ul>
<li>Les zones d’intérêt enregistrées dans myGFW resteront disponibles. </li>



<li>Les abonnements et notifications d’alertes continueront sans interruption. </li>



<li>Les flux de travail de surveillance existants, y compris la synchronisation avec Forest Watcher, resteront en place. </li>



<li>Les liens et favoris enregistrés continueront de fonctionner.</li>
</ul>



Au fil du temps, vous découvrirez une nouvelle interface et une expérience utilisateur améliorée reflétant l’évolution continue de nos capacités et de notre couverture. Vous pouvez explorer ce qui est en cours de développement sur <a href="https://horizon.globalnaturewatch.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Global Nature Watch Horizon</a>, où vos retours sont incroyablement précieux.  



Nous sommes reconnaissants envers&nbsp;notre communauté&nbsp;qui a contribué à façonner ce travail au cours de la dernière décennie, et nous nous réjouissons de construire ensemble l’avenir de Global Nature Watch. Notre communauté d’utilisateurs continuera à jouer un rôle important à mesure que de nouvelles capacités et de nouveaux outils évolueront. Nous avons hâte de partager plus d’informations sur&nbsp;la suite&nbsp;de Global Nature Watch.&nbsp;



Abonnez-vous à notre liste de diffusion pour recevoir des mises à jour régulières tout au long de ce parcours.&nbsp;Si vous avez des questions, veuillez nous contacter à&nbsp;<a href="mailto:gfw@wri.org" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">gfw@wri.org</a>.



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Global Forest Watch devient Global Nature Watch

Nos complace anunciar que Global Forest Watch se convierte en Global Nature Watch.



Este nuevo nombre refleja la próxima evolución de nuestro trabajo: avanzar en el monitoreo forestal mientras ampliamos nuestros datos, herramientas e información a una gama más amplia de paisajes, incluidas praderas, tierras agrícolas, árboles fuera de los bosques y más. Al desarrollar una mayor comprensión de estos ecosistemas críticos, buscamos crear una imagen más completa de los paisajes cambiantes de la Tierra.



Los avances en inteligencia artificial, ciencias satelitales y tecnologías geoespaciales también están creando nuevas oportunidades para hacer que la información ambiental sea más accesible y útil para las personas que trabajan en la protección, restauración y gestión sostenible de la tierra. Bajo el paraguas de Global Nature Watch, ayudaremos a reunir estas innovaciones para impulsar la próxima generación de monitoreo forestal y de la naturaleza; gran parte de este trabajo ya está tomando forma a través de <a href="https://horizon.globalnaturewatch.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Global Nature Watch Horizon</a>, el nuevo nombre de la innovadora plataforma de Global Nature Watch impulsada por inteligiencia artificial, disponible en versión preliminar.



Nuestra visión es ambiciosa: ayudar a cualquier persona que trabaje para proteger, restaurar o gestionar de forma sostenible los bosques y otros paisajes clave a tomar decisiones informadas basadas en la más reciente inteligencia ambiental, independientemente del idioma o la experiencia técnica.



Global Forest Watch es la razón por la que estamos aquí hoy. Global Nature Watch es nuestro camino a seguir.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">¿Qué significa esto para los usuarios de Global Forest Watch?</h2>



Aunque el nombre cambia, nuestro compromiso sigue siendo el mismo: proporcionar acceso abierto a los mejores datos y herramientas disponibles para ayudar a las personas de todo el mundo a proteger y restaurar la naturaleza, fortalecer los medios de vida de las comunidades locales y hacer frente al cambio climático. Los bosques siguen siendo el centro de nuestra misión y son fundamentales para el futuro de Global Nature Watch.



A medida que Global Nature Watch amplía los datos y la cobertura más allá de los bosques, los usuarios podrán monitorear paisajes interconectados, lo que contribuirá a una mejor comprensión de los factores que impulsan el cambio forestal, a identificar amenazas emergentes y a tomar decisiones de gestión más fundamentadas. Para quienes trabajan en paisajes mixtos, esta perspectiva más amplia proporciona un contexto valioso para comprender la salud y la resiliencia de los bosques.



Por el momento, nada cambia para los usuarios, excepto el nombre. Nuestros usuarios continuarán teniendo acceso a los datos, herramientas y flujos de trabajo en los que confían actualmente, a medida que Global Forest Watch se convierte en Global Nature Watch.



Específicamente:  



<ul>
<li>Las áreas de interés guardadas en myGFW seguirán disponibles. </li>



<li>Las suscripciones y notificaciones de alertas continuarán sin interrupciones. </li>



<li>Los flujos de trabajo de monitoreo existentes, incluida la sincronización con Forest Watcher, se mantendrán. </li>



<li>Los enlaces y marcadores guardados seguirán funcionando.</li>
</ul>



Con el tiempo, verá un nuevo diseño y una experiencia de usuario mejorada que refleja la evolución continua de nuestras capacidades y cobertura. Puede explorar lo que está en desarrollo en <a href="https://horizon.globalnaturewatch.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Global Nature Watch Horizon</a>, donde su opinión es increíblemente importante.



Estamos agradecidos con nuestra comunidad, que ha contribuido a dar forma a este trabajo durante la última década, y esperamos construir juntos el futuro de Global Nature Watch. Nuestra comunidad de usuarios continuará desempeñando un papel importante a medida que evolucionen las nuevas capacidades y herramientas. Esperamos compartir más sobre lo que viene para Global Nature Watch.



Únase a nuestra lista de correo para recibir actualizaciones periódicas a lo largo de este recorrido. Si tiene alguna pregunta, escríbanos a <a href="mailto:gfw@wri.org" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">gfw@wri.org</a>.



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Global Forest Watch se convierte en Global Nature Watch

Dengan penuh semangat, kami mengumumkan bahwa Global Forest Watch kini berubah menjadi Global Nature Watch.



Nama baru ini mencerminkan evolusi selanjutnya dari pekerjaan kami: memajukan pemantauan hutan sekaligus memperluas data, alat, dan wawasan kami ke berbagai lanskap yang lebih luas, termasuk padang rumput, lahan pertanian, pohon di luar kawasan hutan, dan masih banyak lagi. Dengan membangun pemahaman yang lebih mendalam tentang ekosistem-ekosistem penting ini, kami bertujuan untuk menciptakan gambaran yang lebih lengkap tentang perubahan lanskap Bumi.



Kemajuan dalam kecerdasan buatan (AI), ilmu penginderaan jauh, dan teknologi geospasial juga menciptakan peluang baru untuk membuat informasi lingkungan lebih mudah diakses dan ditindaklanjuti oleh orang-orang yang bekerja untuk melindungi, memulihkan, dan mengelola lahan secara berkelanjutan. Di bawah naungan Global Nature Watch, kami akan membantu menyatukan inovasi-inovasi ini untuk mendorong generasi berikutnya dari pemantauan hutan dan alam — sebagian besar pekerjaan ini sudah mulai terwujud melalui <a href="https://horizon.globalnaturewatch.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Global Nature Watch Horizon</a>, nama baru untuk platform Global Nature Watch yang inovatif berbasis AI dan kini tersedia dalam versi pratinjau.



Visi kami sangat ambisius: membantu siapa saja yang bekerja untuk melindungi, memulihkan, atau mengelola secara berkelanjutan hutan dan lanskap penting lainnya agar dapat membuat keputusan berdasarkan informasi berdasarkan kecerdasan lingkungan terkini, terlepas dari bahasa atau keahlian teknis mereka.



Global Forest Watch adalah alasan kami hadir hari ini. Global Nature Watch adalah jalan kami ke depan.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Apa artinya ini bagi pengguna Global Forest Watch?</h2>



Meskipun namanya berubah, komitmen kami tetap sama: menyediakan akses terbuka terhadap data dan alat terbaik yang tersedia untuk membantu masyarakat di mana pun dalam melindungi dan memulihkan alam, memperkuat penghidupan, dan mengatasi perubahan iklim. Hutan tetap menjadi inti misi kami dan landasan bagi masa depan Global Nature Watch.



Seiring dengan perluasan datan dan cakupan Global Nature Watch yang melampaui kawasan hutan, pengguna akan dapat memantau lanskap yang saling terhubung, sehingga membantu meningkatkan pemahaman tentang faktor-faktor pendorong perubahan hutan, mengidentifikasi ancaman yang muncul, dan membuat keputusan pengelolaan yang lebih terinformasi. Bagi mereka yang bekerja di lanskap campuran, perspektif yang lebih luas ini memberikan konteks yang berharga untuk memahami kesehatan dan ketahanan hutan.



Saat ini, tidak ada yang berubah bagi pengguna kecuali nama platform kami. Pengguna akan terus memiliki akses ke data, alat, dan alur kerja yang selama ini mereka andalkan seiring Global Forest Watch bertransisi menjadi Global Nature Watch.



Secara spesifik:  



<ul>
<li>Area minat yang tersimpan di myGFW akan tetap tersedia. </li>



<li>Langganan dan notifikasi peringatan akan terus berjalan tanpa gangguan. </li>



<li>Alur kerja pemantauan yang ada, termasuk sinkronisasi dengan Forest Watcher, akan tetap berjalan. </li>



<li>Tautan dan bookmark yang tersimpan akan tetap berfungsi.</li>
</ul>



Seiring waktu, Anda akan melihat tampilan baru dan pengalaman pengguna yang lebih baik yang mencerminkan evolusi berkelanjutan dari kemampuan dan cakupan kami. Anda dapat menjelajahi apa yang sedang dikembangkan di <a href="https://horizon.globalnaturewatch.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Global Nature Watch Horizon</a>, di mana masukan Anda sangat penting.



Kami sangat berterima kasih kepada komunitas yang telah membantu membentuk pekerjaan ini selama satu dekade terakhir, dan kami berharap dapat membangun masa depan Global Nature Watch bersama-sama. Komunitas pengguna kami akan terus memainkan peran penting seiring berkembangnya kemampuan dan alat baru. Kami berharap dapat berbagi lebih banyak tentang apa yang akan datang untuk Global Nature Watch.



Bergabunglah dengan mailing list kami untuk menerima pembaruan rutin sepanjang perjalanan ini. Jika Anda memiliki pertanyaan, silakan hubungi kami di <a href="mailto:gfw@wri.org" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">gfw@wri.org</a>.



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Global Forest Watch Berubah Menjadi Global Nature Watch

Global Forest Watch is becoming Global Nature Watch, reflecting the next evolution of our work to expand data and coverage beyond forests.

Deforestation Alerts

Deforestation Alerts | Global Forest Watch Blog

guest post

guest post | Global Forest Watch Blog

Kevin Woods and Nyein Chan, formerly Forest Trends

Behind the Pixels: Monitoring Deforestation in Post-Coup Myanmar

Forest Trends shares strategies and outcomes for monitoring forests in conflict zones - based on their work in post-coup Myanmar.

Monitoring Deforestation in Post-Coup Myanmar

Growing Impact for the Small Grants Fund: Meet the 2025-2026 Recipients

This year, we welcome the 10th cohort of Small Grants Fund grantees — learn more about the important work they are embarking on in 2025-2026.

Meet the 2025-2026 GFW Small Grants Fund Recipients

amazon

amazon | Global Forest Watch Blog

Brazil

Brazil | Global Forest Watch Blog

Indigenous Peoples &amp; Local Communities

Indigenous Peoples &amp; Local Communities | Global Forest Watch Blog

Peru

Peru | Global Forest Watch Blog

Isabela Barriga

David Gibbs

Cameron Ellis

Indigenous Peoples and local communities <a href="https://www.wri.org/insights/4-ways-indigenous-and-community-lands-can-reduce-emissions#:~:text=For%20example%2C%20research%20by%20WRI,not%20managed%20by%20indigenous%20peoples." target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">play a crucial role</a> in protecting forests and the areas they manage tend to experience <a href="https://conbio.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/cobi.14195" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">lower deforestation</a> rates than other forests. In fact, forests managed by Indigenous Peoples in the Amazon Basin are some of the <a href="https://www.wri.org/insights/amazon-carbon-sink-indigenous-forests" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">most effective carbon sinks</a> on the planet. By maintaining these forests, they actively contribute to global climate change mitigation efforts.



New climate financing mechanisms are creating opportunities for Indigenous Peoples and local communities to generate revenue to support the long-term stewardship of their ancestral lands and forest resources. However, communities often lack access to the data and tools required to quantify forest carbon fluxes (emissions from forest loss and disturbance, and removals due to plant growth) and communicate their contributions in ways recognized by these mechanisms.



To help communities supply such data, Global Forest Watch (GFW) offers accessible, open-source maps and statistics on forest carbon fluxes. GFW’s interactive <a href="https://www.globalforestwatch.org/map/?map=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&mapMenu=eyJtZW51U2VjdGlvbiI6ImRhdGFzZXRzIiwiZGF0YXNldENhdGVnb3J5IjoiY2xpbWF0ZSJ9">emissions, removals and net flux maps</a>, with associated statistics, support action unlike any other forest carbon monitoring system. The maps are updated annually, allowing communities to tell the carbon story behind every pixel of forest. &nbsp;



Rainforest Foundation US (RFUS), a non-profit organization dedicated to securing Indigenous Peoples’ land rights across Central and South America, is working with Indigenous communities and their allies to use this data and information to access climate financing opportunities. Since 2016, RFUS has worked alongside Indigenous communities to leverage tools like GFW data to detect and stop land invasions in their territories. This has resulted in <a href="https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2015171118" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">significant reductions in deforestation</a> around some communities.



More recently, RFUS has collaborated with communities to interpret and apply GFW’s forest carbon data to help them access climate finance and participate in carbon-related decision-making. In recent years, GFW data on carbon fluxes has been an integral part of RFUS’ programming and advocacy for Indigenous Peoples’ rights.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="2048" height="1365" src="https://content.globalforestwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Sep2024_Titulacion-Carococha_079_Sebastian-Castaneda-2048x1365.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-19529" srcset="https://content.globalforestwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Sep2024_Titulacion-Carococha_079_Sebastian-Castaneda-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https://content.globalforestwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Sep2024_Titulacion-Carococha_079_Sebastian-Castaneda-1024x682.jpg 1024w, https://content.globalforestwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Sep2024_Titulacion-Carococha_079_Sebastian-Castaneda-768x512.jpg 768w, https://content.globalforestwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Sep2024_Titulacion-Carococha_079_Sebastian-Castaneda-1536x1024.jpg 1536w" sizes="(max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Titling teams map and demarcate community boundaries in Carcocha, Peru. Credit Sebastian Castañeda</figcaption></figure>



Read on to learn more about two case studies where RFUS is working with Indigenous communities to use GFW’s carbon monitoring data to strengthen the protection of their forests and rights.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Direct payments program as an alternative to carbon markets</h2>



External incentives can help communities carry out forest monitoring more consistently and effectively. They also help finance essential infrastructure and services, such as electricity, latrines and clean water systems, allowing communities to avoid turning to activities that drive deforestation, such as mining or commercial agriculture, and instead pursue livelihoods that keep forests standing and sequestering carbon.



To help provide these incentives, RFUS established a direct payments fund with support from private donors to compensate 32 communities in Ecuador and northern Peru for protecting over 350,000 hectares of standing tropical forest. For approximately two years, communities conducted forest patrols, documented evidence of land incursions and filed legal complaints to protect their territories. In this innovative direct payment program — which was independent of the carbon market and did not issue carbon credits — RFUS used GFW’s tree cover, tree cover loss, <a href="https://gfw.global/3tauzVt">forest carbon removals</a> and <a href="https://gfw.global/47iENb6">net forest carbon flux</a> data to estimate the carbon sequestered by communities’ forests.



By using the custom area analysis tool on <a href="https://gfw.global/4bOp721">GFW’s dashboard</a>, RFUS was able to quickly and easily estimate the standing forest area and carbon sequestration rates within the forests of participating communities. This data enabled RFUS and participating communities to quantify the climate benefits of their forests, providing a clear rationale for the payments. Based on this information, communities received 10 soles (~$4 USD) per hectare of standing forest per year, commensurate with Peru’s national forest payments program, Probosques.



Unlike carbon credits, these payments were not tied to reductions in emissions or reforestation. Instead, these payments were designed to recognize, support and honor communities’ continued stewardship of their forests. The only conditions attached to the payments were that the resulting projects had to benefit communities and receive full community approval. Furthermore, funds could not be used for activities that contributed to deforestation, and communities had to maintain deforestation rates within their recent average.&nbsp; &nbsp;



Communities used these funds to invest in priority projects such as continuing their traditional agricultural practices and initiatives, constructing solar panel arrays, sanitation systems, potable water systems, communal boats and sustainable economic development projects. The unique nature of this program — making payments directly to communities based on public GFW carbon monitoring data — gave communities greater autonomy and agency to invest in and manage the projects they chose.



In the Peru-Colombia-Brazil tri-border area, Ticuna communities used the funds to advance their land titling efforts. By using the funds to cover the costs of surveyors and legal support, the communities <a href="https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Frainforestfoundation.org%2Fhow-climate-finance-can-reach-indigenous-peoples-and-local-communities%2F&data=05%7C02%7CPaige.Johnson%40wri.org%7C5904f82b68234045a96408ddefd86e63%7C476bac1f36b24ad98699cda6bad1f862%7C0%7C0%7C638930435315519121%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=ULYpl8%2BqV%2Fn3NyG3RyYnQvvMuPiBB0P5lns2AaggRvE%3D&reserved=0" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">secured an additional 45,000 hectares</a> of titled land, creating a contiguous Ticuna territory along the banks of the Amazon River. They are also piloting a collaborative titling effort with the regional government of Loreto that has since expanded across the state of Loreto, 59 territories, and over 100,000 hectares in three years.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="2048" height="1538" src="https://content.globalforestwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/IMG_0863-2048x1538.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-19530" srcset="https://content.globalforestwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/IMG_0863-2048x1538.jpg 2048w, https://content.globalforestwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/IMG_0863-1024x769.jpg 1024w, https://content.globalforestwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/IMG_0863-768x577.jpg 768w, https://content.globalforestwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/IMG_0863-1536x1153.jpg 1536w" sizes="(max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Titling ceremony in Loreto, Peru. Credit: Daniel Tuesta</figcaption></figure>



Across the border in Ecuador, the Indigenous community of Sarayaku is one of the largest territories to receive these direct payments, which they have used to invest directly in their “life plan,” or <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Cw0EBmUON0K/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Kawsak Sacha</a>, which in Kichwa means “The Living Forest.” This reflects the Sarayaku’s philosophy of being an integral part of the forest ecosystem, as well as their vision for the future. While the funding available through this program did not cover all elements of the life plan, the funds and decisions were managed autonomously by the Sarayaku communities. They focused primarily on community infrastructure projects that resulted in significant improvements in the quality of life for community members.



Samai Gualinga, Vice President of the Sarayaku community, said of the direct payments program: “a new standard of fair compensation and retribution is being created … it’s necessary to seek our own ways of monitoring our territory … to have our own databases … to show how much biodiversity and carbon we have … we need economic funds to support the families working on our monitoring projects.”



Scaling this direct payment program across the Amazon Basin may be difficult. However, the flexibility of GFW data allowed RFUS to put climate financing directly in the hands of Indigenous Peoples and support locally-led climate finance outside of carbon markets.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Informing community roles in national carbon credit deals</h2>



In 2022, the national government of Guyana signed a <a href="https://carboncredits.com/hess-signs-750m-redd-carbon-credits-deal-with-guyana/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">jurisdictional REDD+</a> deal to sell $750 million worth of carbon credits from reducing deforestation in the country (REDD+ is a <a href="https://unfccc.int/topics/land-use/workstreams/redd/what-is-redd" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">framework</a> for paying developing countries when they reduce emissions from deforestation). Guyana was the first country to sell carbon credits at the national level and the deal requires that the revenue from the sale of credits are distributed to communities around the country through a process of <a href="https://blog.aspiration.com/benefit-sharing-voluntary-carbon-market/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">benefits sharing</a>. Under this deal, 242 Indigenous communities opted in to receive the proposed 15% share of the benefits from the sale to support community led projects.



RFUS uses GFW forest carbon data to help inform communities in Guyana about how forests emit and sequester carbon, how these can be estimated and monitored, and to calculate the amount of carbon being sequestered on both titled and customary lands. While RFUS and local partners such as the Amerindian People’s Association are not using GFW’s data to dispute Guyana’s national REDD+ calculations, GFW data informs Indigenous organizations on how the contributions of their communities are <a href="https://www.development-today.com/archive/2023/dt-2--2023/carbon-certifier-admits-that-key-indigenous-complaints-were-not-on-the-table-when-credits-were-issued-to-guyana-last-year" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">or are not</a> reflected in the benefit sharing program.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="2048" height="1536" src="https://content.globalforestwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/IMG_3115-2048x1536.jpeg" alt="" class="wp-image-19527" srcset="https://content.globalforestwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/IMG_3115-2048x1536.jpeg 2048w, https://content.globalforestwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/IMG_3115-1024x768.jpeg 1024w, https://content.globalforestwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/IMG_3115-768x576.jpeg 768w, https://content.globalforestwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/IMG_3115-1536x1152.jpeg 1536w" sizes="(max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">A Patamona woman cooks cassava in Guyana’s North Pakaraimas mountain range. Credit RFUS</figcaption></figure>



For example, in the South Rupununi region of Guyana, of the 2.9 million hectares of customary Indigenous land in Wapichan Wiizi, around 590,000 hectares have been formally recognized by the government. The unrecognized Indigenous lands account for the bulk of the area and an even higher percentage of the territory’s forests since many Guyanese land titles were granted primarily for savanna areas rather than for forests. The South Rupununi District Council (SRDC) <a href="https://www.globalforestwatch.org/dashboards/aoi/642b3e00493227001be0b2cf/?category=climate&map=eyJjYW5Cb3VuZCI6dHJ1ZX0%3D&widget=carbonFlux">uploaded their land claim</a> (delineated over years of community mapping) to GFW and saw that just their customary territory alone accounts for nearly 10% of Guyana’s overall annual carbon sequestration. This and other WRI data have generated key figures for ongoing collaborative discussions between the SRDC and the government of Guyana regarding formal recognition of these customary lands and potential designation of the area as a community conserved area.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="2048" height="1365" src="https://content.globalforestwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC06626-2048x1365.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-19526" srcset="https://content.globalforestwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC06626-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https://content.globalforestwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC06626-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://content.globalforestwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC06626-768x512.jpg 768w, https://content.globalforestwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC06626-1536x1024.jpg 1536w" sizes="(max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Indigenous communities in Guyana’s rugged interior often contain a mix of dense forests and tropical savannas. Credit RFUS</figcaption></figure>



“Carbon and carbon sequestration are abstract concepts that can easily get lost in national policy discussions and financial transactions,” said Linburg Pearson, Mapping and Monitoring Leader at Amerindian People’s Association. “GFW data has helped us understand the role that specific communities and lands play in regard to carbon emissions and sequestration.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Democratizing data helps make forest protection more equitable</h2>



GFW’s open-source data is helping to promote transparency and broaden access by making critical information on forests and carbon emissions and sequestration accessible to communities. This helps bridge the gap between Indigenous communities and sources of finance, creating more equitable and just opportunities.



In this vein, GFW’s forest carbon monitoring data has been an important resource for RFUS and the communities they work with, illustrating how free, global carbon emissions and sequestration maps can support forest monitoring on a community level and improved outcomes for communities. These examples from Indigenous and local communities effectively using the carbon data to improve their livelihoods and democratize data can shed light on how to create more equitable and responsive financial mechanisms that prioritize the needs and rights of forest protectors.







This work builds on WRI’s broader commitment to support Indigenous Peoples and local communities in securing rights, protecting forests and strengthening climate resilience. <a href="https://www.wri.org/equitable-development/indigenous-peoples-local-communities" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Learn more here</a> about how GFW and WRI are supporting Indigenous Peoples and local communities.



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Forest Carbon Data Helps Communities Benefit Financially from their Forests

Indigenous Peoples and local communities <a href="https://www.wri.org/insights/4-ways-indigenous-and-community-lands-can-reduce-emissions#:~:text=For%20example%2C%20research%20by%20WRI,not%20managed%20by%20indigenous%20peoples." target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">play a crucial role</a> in protecting forests and the areas they manage tend to experience <a href="https://conbio.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/cobi.14195" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">lower deforestation</a> rates than other forests. In fact, forests managed by Indigenous Peoples in the Amazon Basin are some of the <a href="https://www.wri.org/insights/amazon-carbon-sink-indigenous-forests" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">most effective carbon sinks</a> on the planet. By maintaining these forests, they actively contribute to global climate change mitigation efforts.



New climate financing mechanisms are creating opportunities for Indigenous Peoples and local communities to generate revenue to support the long-term stewardship of their ancestral lands and forest resources. However, communities often lack access to the data and tools required to quantify forest carbon fluxes (emissions from forest loss and disturbance, and removals due to plant growth) and communicate their contributions in ways recognized by these mechanisms.



To help communities supply such data, Global Forest Watch (GFW) offers accessible, open-source maps and statistics on forest carbon fluxes. GFW’s interactive <a href="https://www.globalforestwatch.org/map/?map=eyJkYXRhc2V0cyI6W3siZGF0YXNldCI6ImNhcmJvbi1yZW1vdmFscyIsIm9wYWNpdHkiOjEsInZpc2liaWxpdHkiOnRydWUsImxheWVycyI6WyJjYXJib24tcmVtb3ZhbHMtMjAwMS0yMDIwIl19LHsiZGF0YXNldCI6Im5ldC1jYXJib24tZmx1eCIsIm9wYWNpdHkiOjEsInZpc2liaWxpdHkiOnRydWUsImxheWVycyI6WyJuZXQtY2FyYm9uLWZsdXgtMjAwMS0yMDIwIl19LHsiZGF0YXNldCI6ImNhcmJvbi1lbWlzc2lvbnMiLCJvcGFjaXR5IjoxLCJ2aXNpYmlsaXR5Ijp0cnVlLCJsYXllcnMiOlsiY2FyYm9uLWVtaXNzaW9ucy0yMDAxLTIwMjAiXX0seyJkYXRhc2V0IjoiaW50ZWdyYXRlZC1kZWZvcmVzdGF0aW9uLWFsZXJ0cy04Yml0Iiwib3BhY2l0eSI6MSwidmlzaWJpbGl0eSI6dHJ1ZSwibGF5ZXJzIjpbImludGVncmF0ZWQtZGVmb3Jlc3RhdGlvbi1hbGVydHMtOGJpdC1nbGFkTCIsImdsYWRMT25seSJdfSx7ImRhdGFzZXQiOiJwb2xpdGljYWwtYm91bmRhcmllcyIsImxheWVycyI6WyJkaXNwdXRlZC1wb2xpdGljYWwtYm91bmRhcmllcyIsInBvbGl0aWNhbC1ib3VuZGFyaWVzIl0sIm9wYWNpdHkiOjEsInZpc2liaWxpdHkiOnRydWV9LHsiZGF0YXNldCI6InRyZWUtY292ZXItZ2Fpbi01eSIsImxheWVycyI6WyJ0cmVlLWNvdmVyLWdhaW4tNXkiXSwib3BhY2l0eSI6MSwidmlzaWJpbGl0eSI6dHJ1ZX0seyJkYXRhc2V0IjoidHJlZS1jb3Zlci1sb3NzIiwibGF5ZXJzIjpbInRyZWUtY292ZXItbG9zcyJdLCJvcGFjaXR5IjoxLCJ2aXNpYmlsaXR5Ijp0cnVlfSx7ImRhdGFzZXQiOiJ0cmVlLWNvdmVyIiwibGF5ZXJzIjpbInRyZWUtY292ZXItMjAxMCJdLCJvcGFjaXR5IjoxLCJ2aXNpYmlsaXR5Ijp0cnVlfV19&amp;mapMenu=eyJtZW51U2VjdGlvbiI6ImRhdGFzZXRzIiwiZGF0YXNldENhdGVnb3J5IjoiY2xpbWF0ZSJ9">emissions, removals and net flux maps</a>, with associated statistics, support action unlike any other forest carbon monitoring system. The maps are updated annually, allowing communities to tell the carbon story behind every pixel of forest. &nbsp;



Rainforest Foundation US (RFUS), a non-profit organization dedicated to securing Indigenous Peoples’ land rights across Central and South America, is working with Indigenous communities and their allies to use this data and information to access climate financing opportunities. Since 2016, RFUS has worked alongside Indigenous communities to leverage tools like GFW data to detect and stop land invasions in their territories. This has resulted in <a href="https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2015171118" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">significant reductions in deforestation</a> around some communities.



More recently, RFUS has collaborated with communities to interpret and apply GFW’s forest carbon data to help them access climate finance and participate in carbon-related decision-making. In recent years, GFW data on carbon fluxes has been an integral part of RFUS’ programming and advocacy for Indigenous Peoples’ rights.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://content.globalforestwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Sep2024_Titulacion-Carococha_079_Sebastian-Castaneda-2048x1365.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-19529"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Titling teams map and demarcate community boundaries in Carcocha, Peru. Credit Sebastian Castañeda</figcaption></figure>



Read on to learn more about two case studies where RFUS is working with Indigenous communities to use GFW's carbon monitoring data to strengthen the protection of their forests and rights.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Direct payments program as an alternative to carbon markets</h2>



External incentives can help communities carry out forest monitoring more consistently and effectively. They also help finance essential infrastructure and services, such as electricity, latrines and clean water systems, allowing communities to avoid turning to activities that drive deforestation, such as mining or commercial agriculture, and instead pursue livelihoods that keep forests standing and sequestering carbon.



To help provide these incentives, RFUS established a direct payments fund with support from private donors to compensate 32 communities in Ecuador and northern Peru for protecting over 350,000 hectares of standing tropical forest. For approximately two years, communities conducted forest patrols, documented evidence of land incursions and filed legal complaints to protect their territories. In this innovative direct payment program — which was independent of the carbon market and did not issue carbon credits — RFUS used GFW’s tree cover, tree cover loss, <a href="https://gfw.global/3tauzVt">forest carbon removals</a> and <a href="https://gfw.global/47iENb6">net forest carbon flux</a> data to estimate the carbon sequestered by communities’ forests.



By using the custom area analysis tool on <a href="https://gfw.global/4bOp721">GFW’s dashboard</a>, RFUS was able to quickly and easily estimate the standing forest area and carbon sequestration rates within the forests of participating communities. This data enabled RFUS and participating communities to quantify the climate benefits of their forests, providing a clear rationale for the payments. Based on this information, communities received 10 soles (~$4 USD) per hectare of standing forest per year, commensurate with Peru’s national forest payments program, Probosques.



Unlike carbon credits, these payments were not tied to reductions in emissions or reforestation. Instead, these payments were designed to recognize, support and honor communities’ continued stewardship of their forests. The only conditions attached to the payments were that the resulting projects had to benefit communities and receive full community approval. Furthermore, funds could not be used for activities that contributed to deforestation, and communities had to maintain deforestation rates within their recent average.&nbsp; &nbsp;



Communities used these funds to invest in priority projects such as continuing their traditional agricultural practices and initiatives, constructing solar panel arrays, sanitation systems, potable water systems, communal boats and sustainable economic development projects. The unique nature of this program — making payments directly to communities based on public GFW carbon monitoring data — gave communities greater autonomy and agency to invest in and manage the projects they chose.



In the Peru-Colombia-Brazil tri-border area, Ticuna communities used the funds to advance their land titling efforts. By using the funds to cover the costs of surveyors and legal support, the communities <a href="https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Frainforestfoundation.org%2Fhow-climate-finance-can-reach-indigenous-peoples-and-local-communities%2F&amp;data=05%7C02%7CPaige.Johnson%40wri.org%7C5904f82b68234045a96408ddefd86e63%7C476bac1f36b24ad98699cda6bad1f862%7C0%7C0%7C638930435315519121%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=ULYpl8%2BqV%2Fn3NyG3RyYnQvvMuPiBB0P5lns2AaggRvE%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">secured an additional 45,000 hectares</a> of titled land, creating a contiguous Ticuna territory along the banks of the Amazon River. They are also piloting a collaborative titling effort with the regional government of Loreto that has since expanded across the state of Loreto, 59 territories, and over 100,000 hectares in three years.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://content.globalforestwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/IMG_0863-2048x1538.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-19530"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Titling ceremony in Loreto, Peru. Credit: Daniel Tuesta</figcaption></figure>



Across the border in Ecuador, the Indigenous community of Sarayaku is one of the largest territories to receive these direct payments, which they have used to invest directly in their “life plan,” or <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Cw0EBmUON0K/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Kawsak Sacha</a>, which in Kichwa means “The Living Forest.” This reflects the Sarayaku’s philosophy of being an integral part of the forest ecosystem, as well as their vision for the future. While the funding available through this program did not cover all elements of the life plan, the funds and decisions were managed autonomously by the Sarayaku communities. They focused primarily on community infrastructure projects that resulted in significant improvements in the quality of life for community members.



Samai Gualinga, Vice President of the Sarayaku community, said of the direct payments program: “a new standard of fair compensation and retribution is being created … it’s necessary to seek our own ways of monitoring our territory … to have our own databases … to show how much biodiversity and carbon we have … we need economic funds to support the families working on our monitoring projects.”



Scaling this direct payment program across the Amazon Basin may be difficult. However, the flexibility of GFW data allowed RFUS to put climate financing directly in the hands of Indigenous Peoples and support locally-led climate finance outside of carbon markets.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Informing community roles in national carbon credit deals</h2>



In 2022, the national government of Guyana signed a <a href="https://carboncredits.com/hess-signs-750m-redd-carbon-credits-deal-with-guyana/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">jurisdictional REDD+</a> deal to sell $750 million worth of carbon credits from reducing deforestation in the country (REDD+ is a <a href="https://unfccc.int/topics/land-use/workstreams/redd/what-is-redd" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">framework</a> for paying developing countries when they reduce emissions from deforestation). Guyana was the first country to sell carbon credits at the national level and the deal requires that the revenue from the sale of credits are distributed to communities around the country through a process of <a href="https://blog.aspiration.com/benefit-sharing-voluntary-carbon-market/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">benefits sharing</a>. Under this deal, 242 Indigenous communities opted in to receive the proposed 15% share of the benefits from the sale to support community led projects.



RFUS uses GFW forest carbon data to help inform communities in Guyana about how forests emit and sequester carbon, how these can be estimated and monitored, and to calculate the amount of carbon being sequestered on both titled and customary lands. While RFUS and local partners such as the Amerindian People’s Association are not using GFW’s data to dispute Guyana’s national REDD+ calculations, GFW data informs Indigenous organizations on how the contributions of their communities are <a href="https://www.development-today.com/archive/2023/dt-2--2023/carbon-certifier-admits-that-key-indigenous-complaints-were-not-on-the-table-when-credits-were-issued-to-guyana-last-year" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">or are not</a> reflected in the benefit sharing program.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://content.globalforestwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/IMG_3115-2048x1536.jpeg" alt="" class="wp-image-19527"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">A Patamona woman cooks cassava in Guyana’s North Pakaraimas mountain range. Credit RFUS</figcaption></figure>



For example, in the South Rupununi region of Guyana, of the 2.9 million hectares of customary Indigenous land in Wapichan Wiizi, around 590,000 hectares have been formally recognized by the government. The unrecognized Indigenous lands account for the bulk of the area and an even higher percentage of the territory’s forests since many Guyanese land titles were granted primarily for savanna areas rather than for forests. The South Rupununi District Council (SRDC) <a href="https://www.globalforestwatch.org/dashboards/aoi/642b3e00493227001be0b2cf/?category=climate&amp;map=eyJjYW5Cb3VuZCI6dHJ1ZX0%3D&amp;widget=carbonFlux">uploaded their land claim</a> (delineated over years of community mapping) to GFW and saw that just their customary territory alone accounts for nearly 10% of Guyana’s overall annual carbon sequestration. This and other WRI data have generated key figures for ongoing collaborative discussions between the SRDC and the government of Guyana regarding formal recognition of these customary lands and potential designation of the area as a community conserved area.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://content.globalforestwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC06626-2048x1365.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-19526"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Indigenous communities in Guyana’s rugged interior often contain a mix of dense forests and tropical savannas. Credit RFUS</figcaption></figure>



“Carbon and carbon sequestration are abstract concepts that can easily get lost in national policy discussions and financial transactions,” said Linburg Pearson, Mapping and Monitoring Leader at Amerindian People’s Association. “GFW data has helped us understand the role that specific communities and lands play in regard to carbon emissions and sequestration.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Democratizing data helps make forest protection more equitable</h2>



GFW’s open-source data is helping to promote transparency and broaden access by making critical information on forests and carbon emissions and sequestration accessible to communities. This helps bridge the gap between Indigenous communities and sources of finance, creating more equitable and just opportunities.



In this vein, GFW's forest carbon monitoring data has been an important resource for RFUS and the communities they work with, illustrating how free, global carbon emissions and sequestration maps can support forest monitoring on a community level and improved outcomes for communities. These examples from Indigenous and local communities effectively using the carbon data to improve their livelihoods and democratize data can shed light on how to create more equitable and responsive financial mechanisms that prioritize the needs and rights of forest protectors.







This work builds on WRI’s broader commitment to support Indigenous Peoples and local communities in securing rights, protecting forests and strengthening climate resilience. <a href="https://www.wri.org/equitable-development/indigenous-peoples-local-communities" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Learn more here</a> about how GFW and WRI are supporting Indigenous Peoples and local communities.



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Rainforest Foundation US has collaborated with Indigenous communities to apply GFW’s forest carbon data to help them access climate finance.

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