Community Based Initiatives - Understanding the Environment

Local Earth Observation (LEO) Project

Objectives:

The project aimed to explore the applications for light aircraft remote sensing (LARS), with special focus on local analysis, applications and final information products. This was to be achieved in collaboration with local indigenous groups in Eastern Canada. The goal of the project was to explore the degree to which indigenous and land-based peoples and environmental groups can play a part in biodiversity conservation, through the collection, analysis, and application of environmental information needed to protect and manage habitat. The objective was to introduce LARS data to participating First Nations resource groups as a potentially useful source of data in forest management, biodiversity conservation, sustainable development, community planning and education.

Description:

Exploratory missions were designed around the specific information needs of participating First Nation resource groups. The strategy for undertaking data analysis and information generation at the local level was designed around the existing community-based capacity of the First Nations project partner. Through modest investments in training and technology, the project provided participating resource groups with the basics of local geomatics, and prepared groups to graduate to digital methodologies. Geomatics Canada also offered to assist with joint projects in advanced image analysis for selected images and applications. The next phase would include establishing a LARS centre in a community, with access to other First Nations communities, and other potential clients for LARS services.

Outcome:

The project demonstrated a clear potential for cost-effective LARS operations to meet the information needs of First Nations resource groups. In the case of WIFN, a three-day trip to Walpole Island included one day devoted to data acquisition. Six hours generated six applications, at least six months of analytical and field work for one or two people. The bulk of this six months work is achievable with low cost manual and optical methods. The collaborative effort with the LEO project provided the First Nation with several hundred high-quality aerial photos of Walpole Island. Staff of the Heritage Centre developed a basic understanding of the technology and software, and upgraded their skills with further training in geographic information systems. As a result, the aerial photos are now being digitized for use in a geographic information system.

Support:

Supported by the Environmental Initiatives Programme, Geomatics Canada, Indian and Northern Affairs Canada, and the Local Earth Observation (LEO) project.