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Where to From Here? The Nature Conservation Perspective
For nature conservation, a key message is to embrace and adopt the new technologies that are becoming available and to ensure that decisions are based on a sound
and up-to-date understanding of changes occurring from local to global scales and
the interactions between these. This is particularly important as local-scale changes
may be the direct or indirect result of, for example, national policies (e.g., relating
to agriculture or forestry), regional processes (e.g., urbanization and people migration or wars) or global climate change. Earth observation data provides an essential
framework that can be used to address many of the changes that are occurring or
may take place in the future.
As highlighted in this book, a major issue is which data to use and how. The number of Earth observing sensors is substantial and increasing, as are the products arising
from these; and this can be overwhelming. However, major steps have been taken to
ensure that many of the previous limitations to using these data are overcome. There
is no longer reliance on just one or two satellite scenes; entire archives are publically
available and the software and algorithms needed to process these data are increasingly being provided at no cost. Open source GIS, image processing and statistical
software for desktop usage are also now available, with notable examples being QGIS,
Image-J and the R statistical package. The release of satellite archives has further
allowed changes to be observed and placed in context, particularly as time-lapses of
change superbly convey the processes of change whether it be substantive deforestation in tropical regions, loss of water bodies (such as the Aral Sea) or retreating glaciers in high mountain regions. There has also been an increased drive to provide
analysis ready satellite data and also products that are being made available across a
range of scales and temporal frequencies. However, despite these efforts, there are still
the age-old limitations of time, finances, resources, knowledge and skills.
A common assumption is that conservation practitioners have the time, manpower and other resources (e.g., computing) to make maximum use of Earth observation data and so why are these not yet being used to their full potential? Many
organizations simply do not have the time, staff or the skills to undertake the essential search, download and processing of satellite data or products. To address this,
some focus needs to be placed on establishing and reviewing the nature of the overall savings or other benefits associated with investing in Earth observation data and
to then balance these against a 'business as usual' scenario; and the following might
be useful to consider.
(a) Better targeting of field campaigns, surveys or compliances, including of fauna
surveys, that link to mapped habitats and their different states and dynamics.
(b) Establishing reference datasets (e.g., regional or national airborne LiDAR
coverages or phenology) that can be used to determine whether changes within
protected areas and surrounds are out of the ordinary.
(c) Collating and augmenting information that can be used to gauge the impact of
management activities, assist with conservation planning and enforcement, and
ensure the integrity of protected areas.
Expected Advances in a Rapidly Developing Work Area
Where to From Here? The Nature Conservation Perspective
For nature conservation, a key message is to embrace and adopt the new technologies that are becoming available and to ensure that decisions are based on a sound
and up-to-date understanding of changes occurring from local to global scales and
the interactions between these. This is particularly important as local-scale changes
may be the direct or indirect result of, for example, national policies (e.g., relating
to agriculture or forestry), regional processes (e.g., urbanization and people migration or wars) or global climate change. Earth observation data provides an essential
framework that can be used to address many of the changes that are occurring or
may take place in the future.
As highlighted in this book, a major issue is which data to use and how. The number of Earth observing sensors is substantial and increasing, as are the products arising
from these; and this can be overwhelming. However, major steps have been taken to
ensure that many of the previous limitations to using these data are overcome. There
is no longer reliance on just one or two satellite scenes; entire archives are publically
available and the software and algorithms needed to process these data are increasingly being provided at no cost. Open source GIS, image processing and statistical
software for desktop usage are also now available, with notable examples being QGIS,
Image-J and the R statistical package. The release of satellite archives has further
allowed changes to be observed and placed in context, particularly as time-lapses of
change superbly convey the processes of change whether it be substantive deforestation in tropical regions, loss of water bodies (such as the Aral Sea) or retreating glaciers in high mountain regions. There has also been an increased drive to provide
analysis ready satellite data and also products that are being made available across a
range of scales and temporal frequencies. However, despite these efforts, there are still
the age-old limitations of time, finances, resources, knowledge and skills.
A common assumption is that conservation practitioners have the time, manpower and other resources (e.g., computing) to make maximum use of Earth observation data and so why are these not yet being used to their full potential? Many
organizations simply do not have the time, staff or the skills to undertake the essential search, download and processing of satellite data or products. To address this,
some focus needs to be placed on establishing and reviewing the nature of the overall savings or other benefits associated with investing in Earth observation data and
to then balance these against a 'business as usual' scenario; and the following might
be useful to consider.
(a) Better targeting of field campaigns, surveys or compliances, including of fauna
surveys, that link to mapped habitats and their different states and dynamics.
(b) Establishing reference datasets (e.g., regional or national airborne LiDAR
coverages or phenology) that can be used to determine whether changes within
protected areas and surrounds are out of the ordinary.
(c) Collating and augmenting information that can be used to gauge the impact of
management activities, assist with conservation planning and enforcement, and
ensure the integrity of protected areas.
Expected Advances in a Rapidly Developing Work Area