Forest monitoring at the frontline of global health

When forests are degraded or converted, the balance between ecosystems, wildlife, and human populations is disrupted. These changes can increase the risk of zoonotic diseases and the spread of transboundary pests. 

“Forests are not only essential for climate regulation and biodiversity; they are also a critical line of defense against emerging diseases,” said FAO Chief Technical Advisor Aurelie Shapiro during a webinar hosted by FAO’s One Health Knowledge Nexus on 16 March 2026. The event brought together experts from the Centre for Agriculture and Bioscience International (CABI), FAO and the Cameroon One Health Platform to explore how environmental degradation and forest disturbance are linked to the emergence of pests, diseases and zoonotic spillover. 

From science to action: insights from the discussion 

The webinar brought together perspectives from science, policy, and implementation to better understand how environmental change is reshaping threats to human health. 

Urs Schaffner from CABI highlighted a shift in the One Health paradigm, expanding health beyond humans and animals to include plants and ecosystems. He stressed the value of proactive prevention, using land-use monitoring such as deforestation tracking as an early warning signal, while noting major data gaps, including limited evidence on how landscape change affects wildlife disease reservoirs. 

FAO’s Aurelie Shapiro introduced the INFORBIO project, funded by the International Climate Initiative (IKI) of the German Federal Government which treats intact forests as “health infrastructure” and uses near real-time forest monitoring through SEPAL with satellite data alongside AI-enabled risk modelling to help identify and reduce spillover risk in high-risk forest landscapes in Central Africa. As she emphasized, “integrating deforestation monitoring with wildlife and human health data is key to reducing the risk of zoonotic spillover.” 

Steve Fouogue Sonna, representing the Cameroon One Health Platform, shared how Cameroon is strengthening national One Health systems by integrating data across health, environment and agriculture sectors, including work on dashboards that connect various indicators with disease risk. He also pointed to capacity gaps, such as data digitization, wildlife health monitoring, and GIS skills, that remain critical to address. 

The discussion highlighted a growing shift from reactive responses to proactive prevention, placing forest monitoring and land-use data at the centre of global health strategies. 

“Having data from INFORBIO directly feeding into a centralized system – including digital data collection on biodiversity, wildlife health, will enable us to respond better to potential outbreaks,” noted Dr. Fouogue.  

In Cameroon, INFORBIO is being integrated into the national Cameroon One Health Information System (CoHIS), helping connect environmental and forest monitoring with public health surveillance. Forest-related indicators such as habitat change can be used alongside health data to support risk assessments, earlier detection and more coordinated decision-making across sectors. 

However, challenges remain. Key gaps include the need for improved data digitization, stronger wildlife health monitoring systems, and enhanced geospatial analysis capacity. Addressing these gaps will be essential to fully operationalize the One Health approach at national and regional levels. 

A paradigm shift: the One Health approach beyond humans that includes forests 

The webinar underscored a broader shift in how health is understood and managed. One Health expands the concept of health to include humans, animals, plants and ecosystems and calls for earlier, prevention-oriented action. 

In practice, this means using innovative solutions such as land-use monitoring to spot risks before they escalate into outbreaks. Key messages highlighted in the webinar include: 

• Land-use change, forest degradation are critical drivers of emerging diseases and pest outbreaks, acting early in the disease pathway.  
• Technology must work with biology: effective prevention depends on integrated data systems that combine satellite monitoring, field data, and laboratory analysis. 
• Policy integration is essential: embedding One Health into national frameworks ensures long-term sustainability and impact.  

Aligned with the International Day of Forests: Forest and economies (21 March 2026), the webinar reinforced the importance of protecting forests, not only to preserve biodiversity and climate action, but also a strategy for global health security and pandemic prevention. Maintaining intact ecosystems supports livelihoods, reduces risks, and strengthens resilience across sectors.