The number of forest- and tree-proximate people

Newton, P.; Castle, S.E.; Kinzer, A.T.; Miller, D.C.; Oldekop, J.A.; Linhares-Juvenal, T.; Pina, L.; Madrid, M.; de Lamo Rodriguez, J.;

The number of forest- and tree-proximate people

Autores

Newton, P.; Castle, S.E.; Kinzer, A.T.; Miller, D.C.; Oldekop, J.A.; Linhares-Juvenal, T.; Pina, L.; Madrid, M.; de Lamo Rodriguez, J.;

Editor

FAO ;

Descripción

Mapping the spatial relationship between forests, trees and the people that live in and around them is key to understanding human-environment interactions. First, quantifying spatial relationships between humans and forests and trees outside forests can help decision-makers develop spatially explicit conservation and sustainable development indicators and policies to target priority areas. This study combined tree cover and human population density data to map the spatial relationship between forests, trees and people on a global scale providing estimates of the number of forest-proximate people and tree-proximate people for 2019. The methodology relies on spatial overlays that combine global-scale remotely sensed data on tree cover (as a proxy for forest cover) and gridded human population data to identify people that live in or close to forests and trees. Evidence on the number and spatial distribution of people living within or near forests and trees outside forests may, therefore, support decision-makers to 1) target projects in priority areas; 2) prioritize among alternative sites; 3) reduce the cost of achieving environmental or socio-economic objectives; 4) improve the effectiveness of monitoring, including by estimating the numbers of people who will be affected or have been affected as a result of an intervention, or affected by biophysical changes to forests (e.g. deforestation, fire or floods); and/or 5) more effectively and assuredly reaching target populations.