Global Forest Watch vs Planetary Computer
A side-by-side look at the Global Forest Watch and Planetary Computer MCP servers: transport, auth, tools, quality signals, and the config to install either one in Claude, Cursor, Windsurf or VS Code.
Verdict: choose Global Forest Watch for environment & nature work as a local process; choose Planetary Computer for environment & nature as a local process. You can also run both side by side in one mcpServers block.
Which MCP server should you choose?
Choose Global Forest Watch when
- You need dedicated capabilities in the Environment & Nature domain.
- You prefer a local stdio subprocess transport.
- You want tools like
gfw_datasets, gfw_dataset, gfw_query.
Choose Planetary Computer when
- You need dedicated capabilities in the Environment & Nature domain.
- You prefer a local stdio subprocess transport.
Feature & specification comparison
Rows where the two servers differ are marked.
| Spec | ||
|---|---|---|
| Category | Environment & Nature | Environment & Nature |
| Quality signal | 59/100 · Good | 43/100 · Fair |
| Install command | Confirmed | Confirmed |
| Transport | Local subprocess (stdio) | Local subprocess (stdio) |
| Auth | Not declared | Not declared |
| Pricing | Not declared | Not declared |
| Required env vars | None listed | None listed |
| Verified owner | Community listing | Community listing |
| GitHub stars | 0 | 0 |
| Directory activity | 1 views 0 installs 0 upvotes | 0 views 0 installs 0 upvotes |
| Tools | 3 | Not listed |
| Full listing | View Global Forest Watch | View Planetary Computer |
Tools & capabilities
Global Forest Watch tools 3
gfw_datasetsList or keyword-search the Global Forest Watch Data API catalogue — the WRI/UMD datasets behind GFW: annual tree cover loss and gain, primary forest extent, GLAD/RADD deforestation alerts, fire alerts (VIIRS/MODIS), protected areas, concessions, Aqueduct water risk, carbon flux. Returns each dataset name (pass it to gfw_dataset or gfw_query), its title, tags and published versions. Keyless. AUTHORITATIVE for what forest-change data GFW actually publishes.gfw_datasetFull detail for ONE Global Forest Watch dataset — metadata (source, citation, spatial resolution, geographic coverage, update frequency, cautions, licence) plus its version list. Pass a version (or "latest") to also get that version's status, assets and field/band list, which is what gfw_query needs to build a valid SQL statement. Keyless.gfw_queryRun a read-only SQL SELECT against one Global Forest Watch dataset version — e.g. tree cover loss hectares by year inside an area, or deforestation alerts inside a bounding box. The table is always called `data`; use gfw_dataset to see the available columns first. Almost every GFW dataset (tree cover loss/gain, GLAD/RADD alerts, fire alerts, carbon, primary forest) is a RASTER TILE SET, not a plain table — a `geometry` (GeoJSON Polygon/MultiPolygon) is REQUIRED to scope the pixels queried, or the API answers 422 "Raster tile set queries require a geometry". Omit it only for the few vector-table datasets (e.g. wdpa_protected_areas). Requires your own free GFW API key, passed as _apiKey.
Planetary Computer tools
No tool names declared yet. Check the project README from the listing page.
Ready-to-paste client configs
Paste either block (or both) into your client config, e.g. claude_desktop_config.json or ~/.cursor/mcp.json. We only show a config when the install command is confirmed.
Global Forest Watch
{
"mcpServers": {
"global-forest-watch": {
"command": "npx",
"args": [
"-y",
"@pipeworx/mcp-global-forest-watch"
]
}
}
}
Planetary Computer
{
"mcpServers": {
"planetary-computer": {
"command": "npx",
"args": [
"-y",
"@pipeworx/mcp-planetary-computer"
]
}
}
}
Frequently asked questions
Global Forest Watch is categorized under Environment & Nature and uses a local stdio subprocess. Planetary Computer belongs to Environment & Nature and uses a local stdio subprocess. Pick Global Forest Watch for environment & nature work and Planetary Computer for environment & nature.
Copy the mcpServers block from the config section on this page into your client's config (for example claude_desktop_config.json or ~/.cursor/mcp.json), then fully restart the client.
Global Forest Watch has no declared pricing — check the project's own site. Planetary Computer has no declared pricing — check the project's own site. If a server needs environment variables such as API keys, define them under the env key in your client's MCP config.
Yes. MCP clients support multiple servers: add global-forest-watch and planetary-computer as separate keys in the same mcpServers object, and your assistant will call tools from either one.
On AllMCPs, Global Forest Watch has a quality signal of 59/100 (Good) with 1 views, 0 installs and 0 GitHub stars. Planetary Computer has 43/100 (Fair) with 0 views, 0 installs and 0 GitHub stars.