Combining Satellite Data and Community-Based Observations for Forest Monitoring

Arun Pratihast,Martin Herold,Sytze De Bruin,Valerio Avitabile,Mesfin Tekle,Lammert Kooistra,Ben Devries

doi:10.3390/f5102464

Abstract

Within the Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation (REDD+) framework, the involvement of local communities in national forest monitoring activities has the potential to enhance monitoring efficiency at lower costs while simultaneously promoting transparency and better forest management. We assessed the consistency of forest monitoring data (mostly activity data related to forest change) collected by local experts in the UNESCO Kafa Biosphere Reserve, Ethiopia. Professional ground measurements and high resolution satellite images were used as validation data to assess over 700 forest change observations collected by the local experts. Furthermore, we examined the complementary use of local datasets and remote sensing by assessing spatial, temporal and thematic data quality factors. Based on this complementarity, we propose a framework to integrate local expert monitoring data with satellite-based monitoring data into a National Forest Monitoring System (NFMS) in support of REDD+ Measuring, Reporting and Verifying (MRV) and near real-time forest change monitoring.

Highlights

Forests cover approximately 30% of the Earth’s land surface [1] and are of immense value to humankind, as they provide habitats for a wide variety of species and play an important role in the global carbon cycle
Together with the REDD+ decisions adopted at previous Conference of Parties (COP), these decisions provide international policy guidance on how countries should deal with REDD+ in the framework of the United Nations FrameworkConvention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) [6]
The results show that local experts have documented forest change processes, which include spatial, temporal and thematic information

Summary

Introduction

Forests cover approximately 30% of the Earth’s land surface [1] and are of immense value to humankind, as they provide habitats for a wide variety of species and play an important role in the global carbon cycle. Has made a significant contribution to the increase of greenhouse gases (GHGs) in the atmosphere, resulting in accelerated global warming [2,3]. To mitigate this effect, the United Nations Framework. Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation (REDD+) in developing countries [3,4]. Mechanism includes reducing deforestation and forest degradation, forest enhancement, sustainable forest management and conservation [5]. Together with the REDD+ decisions adopted at previous COPs, these decisions provide international policy guidance (the Rulebook on REDD+) on how countries should deal with REDD+ in the framework of the UNFCCC [6]. Besides reduction of carbon emissions, the REDD+ mechanism includes establishment of national institutions, ensuring co-benefits and safeguards and, above all, creating performance-based financing mechanisms [2,7,8]

Objectives

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion