Logging and clearing of tropical forests is reducing biodiversity and fuelling global warming.
Needs
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Nation states and NGOs working to combat deforestation need to measure the impacts of human activities on forests, rapidly map changes to locate newly cleared areas and support field operations planning.
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Spot Image has the answer
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Spot Image designs and operates satellite-based solutions for monitoring changes in vegetation cover. Its domain experts work with an international network of highly qualified partners to develop tailored application solutions.
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CASE STUDY Combating deforestation in the Amazon: monitoring and enforcement
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The federal state of Acre is pursuing a number of sustainable development projects to exploit its forest heritage, notably rubber trees and Brazil nut trees.
In 2006, it also launched a vast replanting operation around the state capital Rio Branco.
Alongside these operations, it is also working to combat deforestation.
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Deforestation in the State of Acre
The federal state of Acre is looking to strengthen its deforestation monitoring capability during the dry season.
Until recently, illegal deforestation was monitored by acquiring aerial photos and at the same time recording the aircraft's GPS position. And deforestation maps and statistics were only made public several months later.
With this method, the federal government of Acre is unable to intervene in the right place at the right time.
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The federal state of Acre asked local NGO IMAZON to help it step up deforestation monitoring and enforcement over an area in the eastern part of its territory.
Founded in 1990, IMAZON, the Amazon Institute of People and the Environment, is a non-profit private research institution whose objective is to foster sustainable use of natural resources in the Amazon. Every year, it produces a map of deforestation and unofficial tracks in the Amazon from satellite or aerial imagery.
IMAZON approached Spot Image to envision an operational solution for the federal state of Acre.
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Spot Image solution: MyFormosat-2 for custom reception of FORMOSAT-2 imagery
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The FORMOSAT-2 satellite was tasked to image an area of interest at predefined times. Using the MyFormosat-2 web interface, IMAZON defined a daily satellite revisit plan. High-resolution FORMOSAT-2 imagery was then acquired and generated in real time to monitor the area.
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| Results |
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Nine coverages of the Acre area
FORMOSAT-2 imaging capacity was reserved to acquire 9 successive coverages of the eastern part of the federal state of Acre over a period of 2½ months.
In all, 1,160 images were acquired and generated between mid-August and end October 2007.
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Rapid deforestation mapping
Images were orthorectified and imported into a GIS. The deforestation map produced by IMAZON in 2005 and 2006 was draped over the images to highlight and then digitize newly cleared tracts of forest.
The 9 FORMOSAT-2 surveys identified tracts being cleared at the time of acquisition.
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Field enforcement
With MyFormosat-2, IMAZON produced up-to-date maps in a matter days and delivered them to Acre’s environmental agency (SEMA/AC) and NGOs to support field operations planning.
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Benefits
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Carlos Souza, Imazon Executive Director
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"MyFormosat-2, a new way of working"
With MyFormosat-2 web interface, we have changed our way of working. Now we can deliver geographic information about deforestation in a few days. Before we needed several months to draw up the maps. We just reported the destruction of the forest but now we can send information very quickly and the Brazilian authorities can catch the woodcutters red-handed.
With MyFormosat-2 the planning is very simple and flexible and we are autonomous to manage the satellite programming in our area. The most surprised are ourselves - said an Imazon cartographer: "when we work on a FORMOSAT-2 image, we can hear the chain saws".
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Responsive and effective
MyFormosat-2 was integrated within a tactical operations set-up able to acquire geospatial information quickly in support of effective enforcement in the field.
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