Cool to see this on HN - this is a product from the World Resources Institute[0] (my employer). I can potentially relay some knowledge from that team or try to direct someone here for questions and comments. The important thing to know for these maps is that Tree Cover Loss is not directly "deforestation". On a pixel by pixel basis (each covering ~30m x 30m) tree loss can occur without the major ecosystem destruction of deforestation. This is still measureable. That is why the visualization of tree cover loss is parameterized by percentage for greater inspection and nuance.
I will take this opportunity to point out the joy and satisfaction that comes along with making these kind of data for impact products. We get to work on globally critical problems, making real measured impact, solving interesting technical problems, and developing features and tools for real and appreciative users across the world. We have dedicated and talented staff (product and engineering teams, in addition to tons of researchers and engagement staff) who are passionate about their work and our collective mission. It's a great environment to work in each and every day. There are always challenges - project/institutional revenue is driven mainly by grants, our salary can not compete with the cash+equity offers of big SV tech companies and VC backed startups. But when I wake up in the morning and come to work (we are a very distributed/remote organization) I know that the time and effort I spend is directed towards a global good and I can easily say the same for almost all of my colleagues. That is invaluable.
If this kind of work interests you feel free to reach out to me (email in profile). We frequently have job openings[1] for PMs, SWEs, and many technical roles.
Edit: Senior Software Engineer position currently open (and would be working on Global Forest Watch) [2].
I immediately recognized the title of the HN post, and it always makes my day when I see GFW in the wild.
Thanks so much for your comment, as someone whose name appears in the list of contributors [0] and was in the presentation of the project when it first launched 8 years ago I feel very grateful being part of it and couldn't have expressed the work better.
Thank you for your work at Data Lab! I've been following WRI and GFW for a while and it's important stuff.
Also working in a global public-good project [0] I strongly resemble your challenges - uncertain funding, difficulty competing for top tech talent, and relatively small teams for huge projects. But so much more importantly the amazing benefits of working on something meaningful resonate with me. The outsized positive impact each of my team members can make on the world is a pleasure to be a part of every day, despite the challenges.
I will take this opportunity to point out the joy and satisfaction that comes along with making these kind of data for impact products. We get to work on globally critical problems, making real measured impact, solving interesting technical problems, and developing features and tools for real and appreciative users across the world. We have dedicated and talented staff (product and engineering teams, in addition to tons of researchers and engagement staff) who are passionate about their work and our collective mission. It's a great environment to work in each and every day. There are always challenges - project/institutional revenue is driven mainly by grants, our salary can not compete with the cash+equity offers of big SV tech companies and VC backed startups. But when I wake up in the morning and come to work (we are a very distributed/remote organization) I know that the time and effort I spend is directed towards a global good and I can easily say the same for almost all of my colleagues. That is invaluable.
If this kind of work interests you feel free to reach out to me (email in profile). We frequently have job openings[1] for PMs, SWEs, and many technical roles.
Edit: Senior Software Engineer position currently open (and would be working on Global Forest Watch) [2].
[0] https://wri.org
[1] https://jobs.jobvite.com/wri
[2] https://jobs.jobvite.com/wri/job/oeglifwR