4. Management Applications of Remotely Sensed Information
It has been suggested that remotely sensed images are powerful visual tools for
display and communication. Their striking visual qualities are demonstrated, for
instance, in the publication of and demand for several arresting coffee table books
depicting exotic satellite and airborne imagery. Such images may form the foundation
of powerful advocacy for remedial action regarding coastal resources. However, the
manner in which these visual tools can be incorporated into coral reef management
remains in question. In the west, a digital environment where remote sensing
technologies thrive, remotely sensed images have been used by agencies, corporations,
and academic institutions to describe weather conditions, examine topographical
variations, and highlight terrestrial or aquatic features of interest. Outside of the digital
environment, airborne and satellite images are used for purposes other than those
intended by remote sensing scientists. In most instances, satellite images are used
primarily for their visual appeal, as opposed to functional or operational purposes.
Thus, a considerable challenge remains – how to interpret meaning and extract value
from satellite imagery and transfer that information to people who reside outside of a
remote-sensing familiar environment.
4.1 COMMUNICATION OF REMOTE SENSING INFORMATION
When attempting to communicate remotely sensed information about coral reef
features to managers in developing countries, it is important to understand that while
the analysis of airborne and satellite images is typically coordinated through personnel
and facilities within developed countries, the application of the product occurs within
socially and culturally different regions. Coral reef remote sensing scientists, to date,
have rarely undertaken research to determine how to effectively communicate with
stakeholders and apply research findings in socio-culturally distinct regions. To be
effective, the analysis should involve the stakeholder from the beginning, and this
should take place at the management level. In reality, the onus is often placed upon the
end user (the local community member, manager, or planner in the stakeholder’s
region) to interpret the visual representation of coastal features and to integrate the
information into the local management strategy. However, in the absence of scientific
experts to guide interpretation and application of the information and significant
funding to purchase satellite imagery, managers must depend on images produced by
remote sensing scientists who have distinctly different objectives for the imagery. As a
result, managers may disregard the satellite imagery, or minimally use the imagery in
management projects. Consequently, the imagery is not fully realized.
4.2 OBSTACLES TO SUCCESSFUL COMMUNICATION OF REMOTELY
SENSED INFORMATION
‘Communication’ involves conveying information. Within the context of typical
applications of remote sensing, communication may be viewed as conveying the
relevant quantitative information interpreted from airborne or satellite imagery. The
effective or successful communication of information, derived from imagery, presumes
that the end-user understands the conveyed information (Populus et al., 1995).
Fostering this understanding is a challenge in applying remotely sensed data to
management plans in developing countries. The sufficiency of the effort expended on
communication can make the difference between success or failure. Insufficient effort,
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Mapping and Management of Coral
It has been suggested that remotely sensed images are powerful visual tools for
display and communication. Their striking visual qualities are demonstrated, for
instance, in the publication of and demand for several arresting coffee table books
depicting exotic satellite and airborne imagery. Such images may form the foundation
of powerful advocacy for remedial action regarding coastal resources. However, the
manner in which these visual tools can be incorporated into coral reef management
remains in question. In the west, a digital environment where remote sensing
technologies thrive, remotely sensed images have been used by agencies, corporations,
and academic institutions to describe weather conditions, examine topographical
variations, and highlight terrestrial or aquatic features of interest. Outside of the digital
environment, airborne and satellite images are used for purposes other than those
intended by remote sensing scientists. In most instances, satellite images are used
primarily for their visual appeal, as opposed to functional or operational purposes.
Thus, a considerable challenge remains – how to interpret meaning and extract value
from satellite imagery and transfer that information to people who reside outside of a
remote-sensing familiar environment.
4.1 COMMUNICATION OF REMOTE SENSING INFORMATION
When attempting to communicate remotely sensed information about coral reef
features to managers in developing countries, it is important to understand that while
the analysis of airborne and satellite images is typically coordinated through personnel
and facilities within developed countries, the application of the product occurs within
socially and culturally different regions. Coral reef remote sensing scientists, to date,
have rarely undertaken research to determine how to effectively communicate with
stakeholders and apply research findings in socio-culturally distinct regions. To be
effective, the analysis should involve the stakeholder from the beginning, and this
should take place at the management level. In reality, the onus is often placed upon the
end user (the local community member, manager, or planner in the stakeholder’s
region) to interpret the visual representation of coastal features and to integrate the
information into the local management strategy. However, in the absence of scientific
experts to guide interpretation and application of the information and significant
funding to purchase satellite imagery, managers must depend on images produced by
remote sensing scientists who have distinctly different objectives for the imagery. As a
result, managers may disregard the satellite imagery, or minimally use the imagery in
management projects. Consequently, the imagery is not fully realized.
4.2 OBSTACLES TO SUCCESSFUL COMMUNICATION OF REMOTELY
SENSED INFORMATION
‘Communication’ involves conveying information. Within the context of typical
applications of remote sensing, communication may be viewed as conveying the
relevant quantitative information interpreted from airborne or satellite imagery. The
effective or successful communication of information, derived from imagery, presumes
that the end-user understands the conveyed information (Populus et al., 1995).
Fostering this understanding is a challenge in applying remotely sensed data to
management plans in developing countries. The sufficiency of the effort expended on
communication can make the difference between success or failure. Insufficient effort,
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Mapping and Management of Coral