Elizabeth Goldman | World Resources Institute
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Elizabeth Goldman
Senior GIS Research Manager
Contact
Elizabeth
Elizabeth (Liz) is the Senior GIS Research Manager for Global Forest Watch (GFW). She manages and contributes to research projects related to global forest change data and supports the creation of new GFW data, maps and publications. Her research focuses on commodity linked deforestation and understanding future risk of deforestation. Liz also leads the ongoing development of the Global Forest Review, a data driven online report on the state of the world's forests.
Prior to joining the World Resources Institute, Liz served as the GIS Manager at Kaboom, a nonprofit organization dedicated to ending playspace inequity. She developed their play desert mapping initiative and worked with cities to use data for the creation of equitable child and play related policies and infrastructure investments. Previously, Liz worked at MDA Information Systems on global GIS and remote sensing projects.
Liz holds a B.S. in Environmental Science from the University of California at Berkeley and a Masters of City Planning from the University of Pennsylvania, where she focused her studies on Environmental Planning and GIS.
Contact Information
Email:
[email protected]
Alternate Contact:
Nancy Harris
Languages Spoken
French
Program(s)
Forests
Insights
Forests
The World’s Last Intact Forests Are Becoming Increasingly Fragmented
Insights
November 2, 2022
Forests
36 Countries Are Gaining More Trees than They’re Losing
Insights
June 28, 2022
Forests
Why Preserving Forest Integrity Is As Vital As Preventing Deforestation
Insights
April 19, 2022
Forests
Just 7 Commodities Replaced an Area of Forest Twice the Size of Germany Between 2001 and 2015
Insights
February 11, 2021
Forests
We Lost a Football Pitch of Primary Rainforest Every 6 Seconds in 2019
Insights
June 2, 2020
Forests
Agriculture Drove Recent Record-Breaking Tree Cover Loss
Insights
February 21, 2020
Forests
The World Lost a Belgium-sized Area of Primary Rainforests Last Year
Insights
April 25, 2019
Forests
When a Tree Falls, Is It Deforestation?
Insights
September 13, 2018
Africa
2017 Was the Second-Worst Year on Record for Tropical Tree Cover Loss
Insights
June 26, 2018
Forests
La pérdida de cobertura arbórea mundial ascendió al 51 porcentaje en 2016
Insights
November 21, 2017
Forests
Global Tree Cover Loss Rose 51 Percent in 2016
Insights
October 23, 2017
Forests
How Artificial Intelligence Helped Us Predict Forest Loss in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Insights
July 26, 2017
Forests
Global Tree Cover Loss Remains High. Emerging Patterns Reveal Shifting Contributors.
Insights
July 17, 2017
Forests
New Deforestation Hot Spots in the World’s Largest Tropical Forests
Insights
February 7, 2017
Forests
Forest Loss Pushes Far Beyond Plantation Boundaries in South America, Africa
Insights
January 25, 2016
Research
Forests
Comparing Forest Loss Data Sources to Align Deforestation- and Conversion-Free Analyses for Soy Production in Latin America
Research
April 10, 2026
Forests
Geospatial Methods for Corporate GHG Accounting of Deforestation and Land Occupation
Research
December 5, 2025
Forests
Statistical Land Use Change Emissions From Deforestation and Land Occupation for Crops
Research
December 5, 2025
Forests
Global Forest Review Forest Degradation Indicator
Research
January 29, 2025
Source :
Forests
Global Forest Review Forest Gain Indicator
Research
September 6, 2024
Source :
Forests
Global Forest Review Production Forests Indicator
Research
September 6, 2024
Source :
Forests
Global Forest Review Primary Forest Loss Indicator
Research
April 4, 2024
Source :
Forests
Global Forest Review Forest Loss Indicator
Research
April 4, 2024
Source :
Forests
Global Forest Review Forest Degradation Indicator
Research
April 4, 2024
Source :
Forests
Global Forest Review Top 10 Lists
Research
April 4, 2024
Source :
Forests
Global Forest Review Deforestation Linked to Agriculture Indicator
Research
April 4, 2024
Source :
Forests
Tropical Forest Loss Drops Steeply in Brazil and Colombia, but High Rates Persist Overall
Research
April 4, 2024
Source :
Forests
Tropical Forest Loss Drops Steeply in Brazil and Colombia, but High Rates Persist Overall
Research
April 4, 2024
Source :
Forests
Deforestation and Restoration Targets Tracker (Beta)
Research
April 4, 2024
Source :
Forests
Forest Extent Indicator
Research
April 4, 2024
Source :
Forests
Spatial Database of Planted Trees (SDPT Version 2.0)
Research
March 6, 2024
Forests
Mapping Cocoa and Assessing Deforestation Risk for the Cocoa Sector in Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana
Research
December 11, 2023
Forests
Estimating the Role of Seven Commodities in Agriculture-Linked Deforestation: Oil Palm, Soy, Cattle, Wood Fiber, Cocoa, Coffee, and Rubber
Research
November 12, 2020
Forests
Spatial Database of Planted Trees (SDPT Version 1.0)
Research
March 11, 2019
Climate
Comparing Global and National Approaches to Estimating Deforestation Rates in REDD+ Countries
Research
June 27, 2018
Forests
Predicting Future Forest Loss in the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s CARPE Landscapes
July 25, 2017
Forests
Mapping Tree Plantations with Multispectral Imagery: Preliminary Results for Seven Tropical Countries
Research
January 25, 2016
External Publications
"Using spatial statistics to identify emerging hot spots of forest loss"
By Harris Nancy, Goldman Elizabeth Dow, Gabris Christopher, Nordling Jon, Minnemeyer Susan, , Lippmann Michael, Bennett Lauren, Raad Mansour, Hansen Matthew, Potapov Peter
"Environmental Research Letters"
12
(2017): 024012
DOI:
10.1088/1748-9326/aa5a2f
"Natural forests of the world – a 2020 baseline for deforestation and degradation monitoring"
By Neumann Maxim, Raichuk Anton, Jiang Yuchang, Rey Mélanie, Stanimirova Radost, Sims Michelle J., Carter Sarah, Goldman Elizabeth, Anderson Keith, Poklukar Petra, Tarrio Katelyn, Lesiv Myroslava, Fritz Steffen, Clinton Nicholas, Stanton Charlotte, Morris Dan, Purves Drew
"Scientific Data"
12
(2025): 1715
DOI:
10.1038/s41597-025-06097-z
"Global planted forest data for timber species"
By Richardson Sarah B., An Lauralee, Pollack Sarah E., Velappan Hemalatha, Nogueron Ruth, Richter Jessica, Gardner Shelley L., Williams Karen L., Hermanson John C., Goldman Elizabeth Dow, Peyer Suzanne M.
"Scientific Data"
11
(2024): 1269
DOI:
10.1038/s41597-024-04125-y
"Spatial database of planted forests in East Asia"
By Abbasi Akane O., Tang Xiaolu, Harris Nancy L., Goldman Elizabeth D., Gamarra Javier G. P., Herold Martin, Kim Hyun Seok, Luo Weixue, Silva Carlos Alberto, Tchebakova Nadezhda M., Mitra Ankita, Finegold Yelena, Jahanshahi Mohammad Reza, Alvarez Cesar Ivan, Kim Tae Kyung, Ryu Daun, Liang Jingjing
"Scientific Data"
10
(2023): 480
DOI:
10.1038/s41597-023-02383-w
"Reconsidering priorities for forest conservation when considering the threats of mining and armed conflict"
By Williams Brooke A., Grantham Hedley S., Watson James E. M., Shapiro Aurélie C., Plumptre Andrew J., Ayebare Samuel, Goldman Elizabeth, Tulloch Ayesha I. T.
"Ambio"
51
(2022): 2007-2024
DOI:
10.1007/s13280-022-01724-0
"Disentangling the numbers behind agriculture-driven tropical deforestation"
By Pendrill Florence, Gardner Toby A., Meyfroidt Patrick, Persson U. Martin, Adams Justin, Azevedo Tasso, Bastos Lima Mairon G., Baumann Matthias, Curtis Philip G., De Sy Veronique, Garrett Rachael, Godar Javier, Goldman Elizabeth Dow, Hansen Matthew C., Heilmayr Robert, Herold Martin, Kuemmerle Tobias, Lathuillière Michael J., Ribeiro Vivian, Tyukavina Alexandra, Weisse Mikaela J., West Chris
"Science"
377
(2022): eabm9267
DOI:
10.1126/science.abm9267
"The expansion of tree plantations across tropical biomes"
By Fagan Matthew E., Kim Do-Hyung, Settle Wesley, Ferry Lexie, Drew Justin, Carlson Haven, Slaughter Joshua, Schaferbien Joshua, Tyukavina Alexandra, Harris Nancy L., Goldman Elizabeth, Ordway Elsa M.
"Nature Sustainability"
(2022): 681-688
DOI:
10.1038/s41893-022-00904-w
"Rates and drivers of aboveground carbon accumulation in global monoculture plantation forests"
By Bukoski Jacob J., Cook-Patton Susan C., Melikov Cyril, Ban Hongyi, Chen Jessica L., Goldman Elizabeth D., Harris Nancy L., Potts Matthew D.
"Nature Communications"
13
(2022): 4206
DOI:
10.1038/s41467-022-31380-7
"Anthropogenic modification of forests means only 40% of remaining forests have high ecosystem integrity"
By Grantham H. S., Duncan A., Evans T. D., Jones K. R., Beyer H. L., Schuster R., Walston J., Ray J. C., Robinson J. G., Callow M., Clements T., Costa H. M., DeGemmis A., Elsen P. R., Ervin J., Franco P., Goldman Elizabeth Dow, Goetz S., Hansen A., Hofsvang E., Jantz P., Jupiter S., Kang A., Langhammer P., Laurance W. F., Lieberman S., Linkie M., Malhi Y., Maxwell S., Mendez M., Mittermeier R., Murray N. J., Possingham H., Radachowsky J., Saatchi S., Samper C., Silverman J., Shapiro A., Strassburg B., Stevens T., Stokes E., Taylor R., Tear T., Tizard R., Venter O., Visconti P., Wang S., Watson J. E. M.
"Nature Communications"
11
(2020): 5978
DOI:
10.1038/s41467-020-19493-3
"Spatial priorities for conserving the most intact biodiverse forests within Central Africa"
By Grantham H. S., Shapiro A., Bonfils D., Gond V., Goldman Elizabeth Dow, Maisels F., Plumptre A. J., Rayden T., Robinson J. G., Strindberg S., Stokes E., Tulloch A. I. T. T., Watson J. E. M., Williams L., Rickenbach O.
"Environmental Research Letters"
15
(2020): 0940b5
DOI:
10.1088/1748-9326/ab9fae
"Protecting biodiversity and economic returns in resource-rich tropical forests"
By Goldman Elizabeth Dow, Ball James G. C., Burgman Mark A., Lessmann Janeth
"Conservation Biology"
n/a
(2020):
DOI:
10.1111/cobi.13534
Projects
Global Forest Watch
Offering the latest data, technology and tools that empower people everywhere to better manage and protect forest landscapes.
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Launch Platform
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Forests
Land & Carbon Lab
Convened by World Resources Institute and the Bezos Earth Fund to develop breakthroughs in geospatial monitoring that power solutions for sustainable landscapes worldwide.
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Launch Platform
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Forests