The Future of Forests: An Optimist’s View
Winrock International CEO Rodney Ferguson on the global impact of harnessing technology, science and policy for a more sustainable future.
“I believe that there’s hope, there’s great hope for us to change the course of the future of the planet,” said Winrock President and CEO Rodney Ferguson at the Redlands Forum in Redlands, California. “And the way we can do that is through the application of technology.”
The Redlands Forum, sponsored by the mapping technology company Esri and the University of Redlands Town and Gown, features government and business leaders, environmentalists, filmmakers and performers on a variety of topics.
Ferguson’s talk, “The Future of Forests: An Optimist’s View,” introduced the audience to Winrock’s work around the globe, from Vietnam and Guyana to the U.S. and Cambodia.
For example, Ferguson explained how the Watershed Ecosystem Service Tool (WESTool), developed with and for Cambodians using ESRI software, allows users to look at multiple variables that are affected by forest loss, such as water availability, sediment and nutrient loss.
“We can develop the science and technology, we can build the tools, we can merge development activities with technology,” Ferguson said. “We can take this from the field and the forest to the cloud and back. And in the course of doing that we can harness and revolutionize it in a way that honors the planet.”
To read a transcription of the Redlands Forum presentation, click here.
Related Projects
Cambodia Supporting Forests and Biodiversity (SFB)
Because many Cambodians make their living from farming, logging and other pursuits that can lead to deforestation, the country struggles to protect its forests while maintaining economic growth. The USAID Cambodia Supporting Forests and Biodiversity Project empowers forest communities, government officials at all levels, NGOs, business interests and communities to become champions for sustainable forest […]
Vietnam Forests and Deltas (VFD)
The USAID Vietnam Forests and Deltas Program supports Vietnam’s transition to resilient, sustainable development. The first phase of the program (2012-2018) helped put national policies and strategies into practice to respond to environmental change, with a focus on the forestry and agriculture sectors, disaster risk reduction, and strengthening livelihoods. Beginning in 2018, the program’s second […]
ACR
Winrock has long recognized the threat posed by climate change. ACR, founded in 1996 and operated by Winrock, is dedicated to the belief that markets are the most effective tools to tackle climate change. As such, ACR has developed transparent and science-based methodologies to incentivize carbon reductions in agriculture, transportation and other industries. ACR is also a partner in assuring that California’s landmark Cap-and-Trade Program can manage, verify and credit carbon offsets effectively.