GFW User Profile: Ashlan Bonnell

For this installment of GFW User Profiles, we spoke with Ashlan Bonnell, writer and editor at MarketResearch.com

What organization do you work with? I work for MarketResearch.com, a business intelligence solutions provider. I am currently the Managing Editor for our corporate blog. I also handle marketing materials and campaign management. How did you become interested in forests? I have always cared about the environment and am self-educated in conservation issues. Before my current job, I worked for a wildlife trafficking and conservation organization, and I hope to someday move my career back in that direction. The more experience I get, the more I learn that everything in the environmental space is connected. Different groups and organizations may focus on different aspects like biodiversity, water, emissions, or forests, but at the end of the day their efforts are collectively working toward a common goal of saving our planet. I have an overwhelming desire to be part of that movement; to help make a difference. How did you find out about Global Forest Watch? I follow WRI’s Insights blog and social media channels. It was through one of those that I first learned about Global Forest Watch. What do you do with the GFW data? I mainly use Global Forest Watch for personal interest. It’s such a cool, interactive and easy-to-use visual tool that brings to life stories about the forest much better than a 800-word article can on its own. Being able to see how the world is changing rather than just read about it is very powerful. I especially like showing Global Forest Watch to friends who don’t necessarily spend as much time learning about environmental issues as I do. Whenever I come across stories I want to share, having a tool that can supplement facts and figures with compelling visuals is a great way to engage people who are less familiar with environmental issues. How can GFW improve? I think the GFW site is already really easy to use. I’ve also used it on my phone and it’s mobile-friendly, which is really nice for finding information about what’s around me when I’m out and about. I’m excited to be a website tester so that I can provide feedback on how the platform can be improved. You can learn more by following Ashlan on Twitter.