When GPRS isn’t available, the ForestLink system uses RockBLOCK and weatherproofed RockBLOCK+ devices to exchange data via the Iridium network. After alerts are sent to a secure database, they’re analyzed by NGOs and governments. Pending further details from community observers that help verify alerts, the Rainforest Foundation notifies the appropriate authorities.
The ForestLink system is currently used to address a wide range of threats that include illegal logging and mining activities, as well as oil spills. Working with local partner organizations, the Rainforest Foundation has trained over 30 communities in the DRC, Ghana, Cameroon, and Peru to use the system.