Biodiversity
Human activities are diminishing biodiversity on Earth
Human activities increasingly impact biodiversity—the wide variety of ecosystems, species, and genes that make up life on Earth—fragmenting habitat, endangering species, and wiping out populations.
Much of SkyTruth’s work protecting biodiversity involves documenting the extent and impacts of extractive activities (such as mining and drilling) and pollution (in the ocean, on land, and in freshwater), including revealing illegal activity. Some projects detect changes in landscapes that signal danger for wildlife.
We often work with nonprofit or university partners, such as Wildlife Conservation Society, Defenders of Wildlife, Global Fishing Watch (launched by SkyTruth in conjunction with Google and Oceana), Appalachian Voices and others. And sometimes we spearhead new initiatives on our own, as we explore the potential for satellite imagery and digital mapping to more clearly illustrate the growing human footprint on our planet.
Biodiversity issues and threats
Protected Area
Monitoring
SkyTruth partners with conservation groups and develops machine learning techniques to monitor valuable habitat around the world.
Mountaintop mining
SkyTruth updates its map of mountaintop mining in Central Appalachia annually to illuminate the spread of this destructive practice. We currently are developing metrics to document recovery at previously mined sites.
Offshore drilling
We track major oil spills around the world. Our SkyTruth Monitor sends email alerts on oil and hazardous materials spills reported to the U.S. Coast Guard.
Overfishing and
illegal fishing
SkyTruth works with Global Fishing Watch to encourage nations to make vessel tracking data available and allow everyone to monitor fishing activity.
Thank you to Bjorn Bergman and those at SkyTruth for your diligent work to help preserve the abundant diversity of marine life found in the paradise of Palau! I live in Canada and have had the pleasure of visiting Palau, it simply has to be protected as one of the last Edens of our planet!
Our latest work on biodiversity
Join us on our journey to protect the environment
We publish newsletters and blogs to keep users informed of fresh work and analysis.