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4 - Global Forest Maps in Support of Conservation Monitoring

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  23 July 2018

By
Samuel M. Jantz ,
Lilian Pintea ,
Janet Nackoney  and
Matthew C. Hansen
Edited by
Allison K. Leidner  and
Graeme M. Buchanan
Allison K. Leidner
Affiliation:
National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Washington DC
Graeme M. Buchanan
Affiliation:
Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB), Edinburgh
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Summary

Forest habitat loss is a preeminent threat to numerous species, including all four chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes) sub-species. The chimpanzee range spans approximately 2.3 million km2, making ground surveys of habitat condition intractable. Remotely sensed data is well-suited to quantify rates and map the spatial patterns of forest cover loss over large areas. Open access to the Landsat data archive and the proliferation of high performance computing has enabled annual forest loss to be mapped at the 30-m resolution for the entire globe. Here, we discuss a partnership between the Jane Goodall Institute (JGI) and the University of Maryland Department of Geographical Sciences to leverage recent advances in remote sensing with the aim of monitoring chimpanzee habitats across their range to support conservation action. We present two case studies using two methods to monitor habitat change. First, we use a simple method that quantifies forest loss area within the chimpanzee range and in protected areas between 2001 and 2014. The second study describes the development of a model that incorporates several environmental variables derived from satellite imagery to produce a map of relative habitat suitability that can be updated as new imagery becomes available. Resulting data from both methods are used to create Key Ecological Attributes (KEAs) that are incorporated into Jane Goodall Institute’s Decision Support System (DSS). The DSS allows managers to aggregate multi-source spatial data into management units that enable them to better visualise the relative status of chimpanzee habitats and make better-informed decisions to increase the likely success of conservation actions over time.
Type
Chapter
Information
Satellite Remote Sensing for Conservation Action
Case Studies from Aquatic and Terrestrial Ecosystems
 , pp. 82 - 118
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2018

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