| 2008-11-18 | To bloggers |
Space Imagery Protecting Nature
Olga Gershenzon (RIA "Vostok Media")
Dmitry Aksyonov (RIA "Vostok Media")
November 14, Vladivostok. ScanEx Research and Development Center, WWF Russia and Non-profit Partnership “Transparent World” held a mass media briefing on new opportunities of using space imagery in monitoring illegal logging in the Far East forests as well as quick detection of vessels involved in illegal fishing.
"Our organization have been partners for a long time, — shared thoughts Konstantin Kobyakov, Forest Program Projects Coordinator of WWF Russia Amur Branch. — One of the joint projects is dedicated to utilization of space data for detection of illegal logging and for forest condition monitoring and control in general".
According to Deputy General Director of “Transparent World” Dmitry Aksyonov, up-to-date methods of space imagery allow timely detection of not only clear cutting but also selection cutting as well as related forest infrastructure facilities: spur roads, loading dump areas, landing sites, cut strips, etc. This provides an opportunity to detect and register violations of wood harvesting rules (cutting outside cutting areas, decrease in stand density in river and stream water safeguard areas, violation of regulated distances between trails and size of loading dump areas, discrepancies between the operation schedule and actual cutting, etc).
Operational radar imagery data are also used for detecting position of vessels involved in illegal fishing. In accordance with the Law each vessel shall be equipped with an on-board GPS-transmitter, which automatically relays current coordinates. In some cases of illegal activities such transmitter is inhibited or left behind. By comparing vessel coordinates identified using space data and those received from the vessel’s GPS, a discrepancy could be detected. Regulatory agencies could identify vessels, which provide false information. Normally such vessels carry out illegal seafood harvesting or smuggling. “Unfortunately these days the state bodies do not express their interest in application of this method", — said Olga Gershenzon, Deputy General Director of ScanEx RDC.
One of the latest developments of ScanEx is dedicated to utilization of space data for creation of base area maps to serve as a common base for land use planning layouts of regions, districts and municipal entities. In accordance with the decree of the Government of the Russian Federation, layouts development shall be complete by January 1, 2010 for all subjects (regions) of the Russian Federation. Large-scale plans provide the basis for creating land ownership cadastres and revising correspondence to the actual status otherwise efficient resolution of environmental protection issues is unfeasible, according to Head of Key Account Management Department of ScanEx Anna Golovina.
"Our organization have been partners for a long time, — shared thoughts Konstantin Kobyakov, Forest Program Projects Coordinator of WWF Russia Amur Branch. — One of the joint projects is dedicated to utilization of space data for detection of illegal logging and for forest condition monitoring and control in general".
According to Deputy General Director of “Transparent World” Dmitry Aksyonov, up-to-date methods of space imagery allow timely detection of not only clear cutting but also selection cutting as well as related forest infrastructure facilities: spur roads, loading dump areas, landing sites, cut strips, etc. This provides an opportunity to detect and register violations of wood harvesting rules (cutting outside cutting areas, decrease in stand density in river and stream water safeguard areas, violation of regulated distances between trails and size of loading dump areas, discrepancies between the operation schedule and actual cutting, etc).
Operational radar imagery data are also used for detecting position of vessels involved in illegal fishing. In accordance with the Law each vessel shall be equipped with an on-board GPS-transmitter, which automatically relays current coordinates. In some cases of illegal activities such transmitter is inhibited or left behind. By comparing vessel coordinates identified using space data and those received from the vessel’s GPS, a discrepancy could be detected. Regulatory agencies could identify vessels, which provide false information. Normally such vessels carry out illegal seafood harvesting or smuggling. “Unfortunately these days the state bodies do not express their interest in application of this method", — said Olga Gershenzon, Deputy General Director of ScanEx RDC.
One of the latest developments of ScanEx is dedicated to utilization of space data for creation of base area maps to serve as a common base for land use planning layouts of regions, districts and municipal entities. In accordance with the decree of the Government of the Russian Federation, layouts development shall be complete by January 1, 2010 for all subjects (regions) of the Russian Federation. Large-scale plans provide the basis for creating land ownership cadastres and revising correspondence to the actual status otherwise efficient resolution of environmental protection issues is unfeasible, according to Head of Key Account Management Department of ScanEx Anna Golovina.
