Crowther belongs to a generation of ecologists whose main working tools are huge data sets and sophisticated algorithms. They apply machine learning specifically to identify relevant patterns in mountains of data. Crowther leapt to prominence in 2019 with a publication in the journal Science. He and his team calculated that there are 0.9 billion hectares theoretically available for natural forest regrowth. An area of that size could provide a home for just over 1 trillion trees, which could absorb enormous amounts of carbon from the air. The study fuelled hopes that the climate crisis could be addressed through reforestation. Subsequently, the “Billion Trees Campaign” of several environmental organisations was expanded to a “Trillion Trees Campaign”. However, some scientists argued that the team had overestimated this potential and that some of their assumptions were flawed. Further criticism claimed that the ecologists had miscommunicated the study findings, raising hopes that climate goals could be achieved without immediate and consistent reductions in CO2 emissions.
Crowther and his team signalled their willingness to discuss the issue, owned up to their mistakes in communicating the findings, stressing that “tree restoration is not a silver bullet for climate change, as it is one of thousands of approaches that we urgently need”. At the same time, however, the enormous response in the media and the scientific community confirmed that the research had touched a nerve and that ecosystem restoration is an essential tool in the fight against the climate and biodiversity crises.
Collaboration with Google Earth
The 30-strong Crowther Lab has developed a new model for the spin-off’s web platform called Restor. This model allows researchers to systematically determine which tree species are native to a particular location. It takes into account climate data, temperature, precipitation, and soil parameters such as pH and silt content, drawing on data from over 60,000 scientists around the world. But most importantly, the locations of over 32,000 restoration and conservation initiatives have been registered on the platform. Those projects will all receive free access to those ecological insights, but at the same time, the general public will now be able to see those projects, monitor their developments, and connect with them to support their efforts.
To create the data-driven web platform, Crowther Lab collaborated with Google Earth Engine developers. Together, they came up with a view that enabled users to locate the data on interactive maps and read it easily. Now, users can zoom in on specific regions at a resolution of up to 30 centimetres and mark areas on the map to learn more about their restoration and conservation potential. This gives them answers to questions such as: How much CO2 could be captured if we conserved and protected a natural wetland? Which species would be most suitable for my agroforestry plantation? Where would passive natural regeneration make more sense than active restoration?
