In a significant step towards combating climate change, the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI) has been awarded a $12 million grant from the Bezos Earth Fund to support the GEO-TREES project. GEO-TREES is an international consortium that independently verifies the accuracy of satellite monitoring of forest biomass, which measures carbon stored in trees across all forest types and conditions. The project combines ground measurements of individual trees with laser scans of forests, creating a reliable database for estimating forest carbon based on satellite images.
Satellite image of a forest area.
The GEO-TREES alliance, led by the STRI, aims to enhance our understanding of the relationship between tropical forests and carbon capture. Lonnie Bunch, the Smithsonian Secretary, describes the project as essential for a detailed comprehension of this interplay. By supporting scientific research, the Bezos Earth Fund recognises the value of collaboration and investment in finding solutions for global challenges.
The GEO-TREES system relies on the STRI's ForestGEO network, the largest and most extensive forest-monitoring network in the world. With over 40 years of experience and 76 study sites across 29 countries, ForestGEO emphasises partnerships with local conservation and management initiatives. By calibrating satellite measurements against ground-based data, scientists can verify carbon-storage numbers accurately. The grant will predominantly be utilised in tropical countries, enhancing data collection and local capacity-building efforts.
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Joshua Tewksbury, Director of the STRI, highlights the importance of tropical forests as significant carbon-capture devices. To achieve large-scale carbon capture, comprehensive monitoring is necessary, demonstrating carbon distribution and changes in real-time to stakeholders, landowners, countries, and investors. The GEO-TREES project, in collaboration with hundreds of partners worldwide, strives to create a definitive global forest database to facilitate this process.
The complex nature of forests, including variations in tree species, age, and environmental factors, demands expertise in quantifying biomass accurately. The GEO-TREES project addresses this challenge by integrating advanced technology with field data collection, providing valuable insights into carbon storage dynamics.
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The STRI, through its Life on a Sustainable Planet initiative, is committed to finding solutions for our changing planet. This grant from the Bezos Earth Fund propels the GEO-TREES project forward, strengthening the connection between people and nature. The STRI, headquartered in Panama City, Panama, works towards a deeper understanding of tropical biodiversity, trains students for tropical research, and promotes conservation awareness.
At DGB Group, we are driven by a shared mission to protect the interconnectedness of life on Earth. We understand the urgency of addressing environmental issues and the need to adopt nature-based solutions that not only mitigate carbon emissions but also restore biodiversity and foster sustainable development. Green technology plays a pivotal role in ensuring the efficiency and effectiveness of these nature-based solutions, providing innovative tools and methods to maximise their impact on the environment and support the transition to a greener future. By harnessing the power of green tech, we can enhance the implementation of nature-based solutions, optimising their potential to combat climate change and safeguard the planet's delicate ecosystems.
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