Abstract
Abstract. Deosai plateau, in the Gilgit-Baltistan Province of Pakistan, for its average elevation of 4,114 meters, is the second highest plateau in the world after Changtang Tibetan Plateau. Two biogeographically important mountain ranges merge in Deosai: the Himalayan and Karakorum–Pamir highlands. The Deosai National Park, with its first recognition in 1993, encompasses an area of about 1620 km2, with the altitude ranging from 3500 to 5200 meters a.s.l. It is known and visited by tourists for the presence of brown bear, but a large number of species of fauna and flora leave, and can be seen during the summer season. This high-altitude ecosystem is particularly fragile and can be considered a sentinel for the effects of climate changes.Due to its geographic position and high altitude, the area of Deosai has never been studied in all its ecosystem components, producing high resolution maps. The first land cover map of Deosai with 10 meters of resolution is discussed in this study. This map has been obtained from Sentinel-2 imagery and improved through the new tool developed in this study: the GBGEOApp. This application for mobile has been done with three main ambitions: the validation of the new land cover map, its improvement with land use information, and the collection of new data in the field. On the basis of the results, the use of the GBGEOApp, as a tool for validation and increasing of environmental data collection, seems to be completely applicable involving the local technicians in a process of data sharing.
Highlights
1.1 Thematic mapping and local knowledgeThe institution of a park and its management planning is a very long process that involves governments, technicians and researchers in consultation with the stakeholders
The choosing of high quality reference samples and field surveys are crucial for the production and validation of land cover maps
The support of citizens to support land use and land cover mapping has been investigated during the recent years and the results demonstrated the adding value of local knowledge (Arsanjani et al, 2013), (Flanagin and Metzger, 2008), (Fritz et al, 2009)
Summary
1.1 Thematic mapping and local knowledgeThe institution of a park and its management planning is a very long process that involves governments, technicians and researchers in consultation with the stakeholders. The support of citizens to support land use and land cover mapping has been investigated during the recent years and the results demonstrated the adding value of local knowledge (Arsanjani et al, 2013), (Flanagin and Metzger, 2008), (Fritz et al, 2009). This public participatory mapping is considered as methodology of crowdsourcing, and are relevant in the topic of conservation planning (Brown et al, 2018). The involvement of local Organizations and Government Offices, and the participation of the communities to the development of the management rules increase the awareness and the sensibility to
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