Participatory 3D Modelling in Western Samoa triggers behavioural changes and climate change resilience

Since 2012 the local government together with local communities in Western Samoa have carried out a total of 19 participatory 3D modelling (P3DM) exercises in the context of agroforestry management, water management and tourism development.

A participatory research was conducted between February and April 2016 to explore the effectiveness and potential of P3DM in the region. The study was done by Barbara Dovarch, PhD candidate at the Department of Architecture Design and Urban Planning, University of Sassari, Italy, sociologist and independent researcher, in partnership with the Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation (CTA) and Samoa’s Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MNRE).

This participatory impact evaluation involved diverse members of local communities and MNRE technical staff. It focused particularly on the capacity of P3DM to generate deep-seated and long-lasting behavioural changes.

The results of the study demonstrates that P3DM contributes to natural resource management and climate change resilience and showed the transformative power of the process at various levels, such as community, NGO and governmental level.

Through the P3DM process, meaningful interactions between government representatives and community members resulted in greater collaboration and mutual learning. While government representatives have changed the way they approach local communities – from ‘teaching’ to ‘listening’ – communities have also changed their attitude towards land management and development.

Download the full report via: http://bit.ly/p3dm-ws

Making Maps, Third Edition: A Visual Guide to Map Design for GIS

Lauded for its accessibility and beautiful design, this text has given thousands of students and professionals the tools to create effective, compelling maps.

Using a wealth of illustrations--with 74 in full color--to elucidate each concisely presented point, the revised and updated third edition of Making Maps: A Visual Guide to Map Design for GIS continues to emphasize how design choices relate to the reasons for making a map and its intended purpose.

All components of map making are covered: titles, labels, legends, visual hierarchy, font selection, how to turn phenomena into visual data, data organization, symbolization, and more.

Innovative pedagogical features include a short graphic novella, good design/poor design map examples, end-of-chapter suggestions for further reading, and an annotated map examplar that runs throughout the book.

by John Krygier PhD (Author), Denis Wood PhD (Author)

Paperback: 293 pages
Publisher: The Guilford Press; 3 edition (August 2, 2016)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1462509983
ISBN-13: 978-146250998

Les cinq étapes de la création d’une carte au moyen de petits drones

Auparavant, on représentait tous les éléments d’une carte par des symboles dont les caractéristiques spatiales (emplacement, taille, forme) pouvaient être définies mathématiquement dans un système référentiel de coordonnées. On appelait « données vectorielles » les informations spatiales sous-jacentes aux éléments représentés de cette manière. En revanche, depuis l’apparition de la photographie aérienne, on peut désormais également produire des cartes avec des cellules de quadrillage (ou pixels) à chacune desquelles on assigne des valeurs de couleur normalisées, exactement comme pour une image numérique. On appelle « données raster » (ou matricielles) les données utilisées pour produire ce type de carte. Les cartes élaborées à partir des capteurs embarqués à bord des véhicules aériens sans pilote (VASP) ou drones sont dites « sous format matriciel ».

Une carte, au sens traditionnel du terme, doit au minimum répondre aux conditions suivantes : elle doit comporter une échelle et une flèche indiquant le nord, et elle doit offrir un grand degré de cohérence dans la précision des données. De nos jours, au lieu d’utiliser une échelle donnée pour obtenir la résolution souhaitée, les experts utilisent la résolution au sol (Ground sample distance, GSD). Cela représente la largeur et la longueur de la zone couverte au sol par un seul pixel de la mosaïque de capteurs de la caméra. La précision de la carte est donc intimement liée à la GSD. Pour une GSD fixée à 20 centimètres, il ne sera pas possible d’obtenir une mesure des distances entre des points perceptibles au sol plus précise que 20 cm.

Cinq étapes sont nécessaires pour créer une carte au moyen de drones de petite taille :

Étape 1. Conception de la carte et des plans de vol

Afin de s’assurer que la carte sera bien adaptée aux objectifs poursuivis, il importe de déterminer dès le début du processus le type de capteur(s) à utiliser (de lumière visible, de lumière infrarouge, multispectral ou hyperspectral). Une fois le type de capteur déterminé, il faut fixer la GSD adéquate. Plus la résolution au sol diminue et plus la résolution (et la précision) de la carte sera élevée.

Pour évaluer la résolution au sol souhaitée avec un appareil donné, il faut calculer l’altitude de vol correspondante, qui sera fonction de la résolution du ou des capteur(s) et de la distance focale de l’optique de la caméra. La création de cartes à partir d’images doit de plus garantir un recouvrement minimum des photos (exprimé en pourcentage). Pour satisfaire aux exigences en matière de recouvrement, il convient de calculer les intervalles auxquels l’appareil doit se déclencher, ainsi que l’espacement des bandes adjacentes au moyen des dimensions de l’empreinte au sol d’une image.

La Figure 1 illustre le rapport entre, d’une part, la taille et la résolution du capteur ainsi que la distance focale et l’altitude de vol et, d’autre part, la résolution au sol (GSD) et les espacements entre les déclenchements et entre les bandes.

Figure 1 : Paramètres du plan de vol (en mètres)

Par exemple, pour une GSD fixée à 12 millimètres, l’altitude de vol est de 50 mètres, l’appareil doit se déclencher tous les 9,8 mètres dans la bande de vol, et les bandes de vol doivent être espacées de 22 mètres.  
Une fois ces paramètres calculés, on peut mettre au point un plan de vol pour couvrir la zone d’intérêt. Il existe de nombreux outils de conception de plans de vol (gratuits ou payants) pour générer des plans de vol et des plans de tâches numériques de manière quasi automatique qui pourront ensuite être téléchargés sur le drone qui les exécutera alors automatiquement.

Étape 2. Acquisition des images

Afin de permettre l’orientation et la position absolues de la future carte, c’est-à-dire pour géo-référencer cette carte, il est nécessaire de placer sur le terrain des balises de taille et de forme adéquates : ces « Points de contrôle au sol » (PCS) doivent pouvoir être formellement identifiés sur l’imagerie aérienne, et leurs coordonnées dans le système de cartographie de référence souhaité seront mesurées par des méthodes de géomètres.

Dès que les balises PCS sont en place, le plan de vol peut être téléchargé sur le drone pour y être exécuté. Pour un fonctionnement sûr, il convient de procéder à des vérifications de vol et à l’évaluation du terrain avant le lancement du drone. À l’atterrissage, on télécharge le journal de bord et les images aériennes du drone vers un ordinateur portable ou un périphérique de stockage avant de procéder au traitement des images.

Étape 3. Traitement des images 

On associe volontiers la technologie des drones à la production de cartes en haute résolution, mais, sans la technologie de la Structure from Motion (SfM), la révolution cartographique que nous connaissons n’aurait jamais pu avoir lieu. Le degré d’automatisation extrêmement élevé qui caractérise cette technique de cartographie est essentiel pour la démocratisation de la production de cartes.

La première étape de la SfM consiste à aligner les caméras, processus accéléré par l’introduction des positions approximatives des caméras telles qu’enregistrées par le contrôleur de vol du drone. Ces positions approximatives sont également utilisées pour géo-référencer les positions des caméras, ainsi que tous les produits en aval générés par le processus de SfM. Lorsque des PCS (ainsi que leurs coordonnées terrestres) sont nécessaires pour un géoréférencement plus précis, leurs coordonnées-image doivent être visibles dans chaque visuel dans lequel ils apparaissent. Cette étape est généralement la seule intervention manuelle de la procédure de SfM. Dès qu’un modèle de terrain et un atlas de textures ont été produits, on peut générer différents produits géo-spatiaux. En règle générale, sur un ordinateur portable, on peut traiter quelque 500 images de 20MP (couvrant entre 5 et 10 hectares à une résolution au sol entre 10 et 20 millimètres) de grande qualité en l’espace de 24 heures environ.

Étape 4. Préparation et visualisation des produits géo-spatiaux

Une fois le processus de SfM achevé, on peut extraire différents produits géo-spatiaux. Pour une représentation en deux dimensions du terrain, on génère une orthophotographie sur le référentiel et la projection souhaités. On obtient alors une carte raster géo-référencée sans distorsion. Pour ajouter la troisième dimension, on peut générer un modèle altimétrique numérique (MAN) sous format matriciel ou vectoriel. L’association des produits susmentionnés permet des visualisations en 3D extrêmement réalistes, ainsi que des analyses plus ou moins automatiques relatives à la santé de la végétation, la détection de bâtiments, l’évaluation des sols sous l’angle du drainage et de l’irrigation, ou encore au calcul des volumes et de la hauteur des cultures.

Étape 5. L’extraction d’informations essentielles 

Des cartes matricielles véhiculent une quantité impressionnante d’informations, mais la diffusion des volumes de données très importants qu’elles contiennent occuperait une quantité considérable de bande passante. De nombreux logiciels de représentation graphique sont incapables de gérer de tels volumes. Il est donc impératif d’extraire des volumes de données les éléments essentiels pour toute analyse spécifique.

Cette opération est réalisée grâce à l’arpentage virtuel, un processus permettant à l’« arpenteur » de parcourir sans effort le terrain virtuel tout en procédant à des mesures, comme s’il se trouvait sur le terrain. Toutes les données capturées ainsi par l’« arpenteur virtuel » sont sauvegardées sous format vectoriel (format le plus efficace) puis exportées vers un logiciel DAO ou un système d’information géographique (SIG). La possibilité de se livrer à des travaux de topographie virtuels permet d’améliorer considérablement les performances et de réduire les coûts liés aux travaux de cartographie et de topographie. Le travail sur le terrain ne prend plus que quelques heures contre plusieurs semaines auparavant, voire plusieurs mois.

Autres progrès liés à la cartographie par drones

Notons que la cartographie SfM sans PCS est également possible : il suffit alors de connecter un récepteur miniaturisé de système mondial de navigation par satellite (GNSS) à double fréquence à la caméra pour enregistrer le moment précis de chaque déclenchement de l’appareil. De cette manière, les positions de déclenchement peuvent être déterminées de manière très précise, au centimètre près. Certains soutiennent que cette manière de procéder permet de faire l’impasse sur les PCS. De toute évidence, cette nouvelle approche devra faire l’objet de recherches plus approfondies avant de pouvoir convaincre les professionnels de la cartographie.

Enfin, l’émergence de scanners Lidar toujours plus légers constitue un autre progrès important. Le Lidar présente l’avantage unique de pouvoir pénétrer à travers la végétation, ce que n’arrive pas à faire la SfM.

Grâce à ces étapes et ces développements, les cartes numériques peuvent désormais être créées et analysées.

À propos de l’auteur :

Walter Volkmann (walter@unirove.com) préside Micro Aerial Projects L.L.C., une entreprise officielle de mesures géodésiques et cadastrales, spécialisée dans les solutions géo-spatiales.

Source:

Vous pouvez commander une version imprimée ou télécharger une version PDF de ce numéro en suivant ce lien : http://bit.ly/uav4ag-FR

Une sélection d'articles sont proposés sur le portail web du magazine : http://ictupdate.cta.int/fr, où vous pouvez vous abonner à la publication gratuitement.

Five steps of making a map with small drones

Traditionally all features on a map were represented in the form of symbols whose spatial characteristics, like location, size and shape, could be mathematically defined in a spatial reference system. The underlying spatial information of features depicted in this way is referred to as vector data. Since the arrival of aerial photography, however, maps could also be made with contiguous cells, called pixels, to each of which normalised colour values are attached, just like a digital image. The data used to make a map in this way is referred to as raster data. The maps derived directly from unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV)-carried sensors are in raster form.

In the classical sense, a map has to satisfy at least the following basic conditions: it has to have a scale, a north arrow and be of uniform accuracy across the mapping domain. The scale on printed maps determined its resolution as well as its accuracy. In the digital age the scale of a map can be changed by simply scrolling the wheel of your mouse. Instead of using scale to achieve desired resolution, analysts nowadays make use of the Ground Sampling Distance (GSD). The GSD represents the width and length of the area covered on the ground by one pixel on the sensor array of the camera. For any given camera, the GSD is thus a function of how high above the ground the camera is located. The accuracy of the map is in turn intrinsically linked to the GSD. For a GSD of 20 centimetres it is not possible to measure distances between discernible features more accurately than 20 centimetres.

The small drone mapping workflow can be divided into five steps.

Step 1. Map design and flight planning

To ensure that the map is made “fit for purpose” it is important to decide from the outset which type of sensor(s) (visible light, infrared, multispectral, hyperspectral) will be needed. Once the appropriate sensor has been identified, the appropriate GSD has to be determined. The smaller the GSD, the higher the resolution (and accuracy) of the map will be.

To achieve the desired GSD with a given camera the corresponding flying height has to be computed. This is a function of the sensor resolution and the focal length of the lens of the camera. Moreover, making maps from images requires the so-called “stereo effect” which is brought about by image overlaps. Overlaps along the flight direction and between adjacent strips are expressed in percentages. Using the footprint dimensions of an image on the ground, the intervals at which the camera must expose and the spacing of adjacent lines which will satisfy the overlap conditions must be computed.

Figure 1 illustrates the relationship between camera sensor size and resolution, focal length and flying height on the one hand and GSD, photo and line spacing on the other.

Figure 1: Flight Planning Parameters (in units of meters)

For example, a GSD of 12 millimetres requires a flying height of 50 metres, the camera must be exposed every 9.8 metres along the flight line and flight lines must have a spacing of 22 metres.
With these parameters a flight plan can be compiled to cover the area of interest. There are many flight planning tools (open source as well as proprietary) available to more or less automatically generate digital flight and task plans which can be uploaded to the drone for automatic execution.

Step 2. Image acquisition

To provide the resulting map with absolute orientation and location, in other words to geo-reference it, it is necessary to place suitably sized and shaped targets on the terrain. These targets, known as Ground Control Points (GCPs) must be positively identifiable in the aerial imagery and their coordinates in the desired mapping reference system have to be established by survey. Obviously the targets have to be in place during the time of aerial image capture, however, they can be surveyed before or after image acquisition.

Once the GCP targets are in place, the flight plan can be uploaded to the drone for automatic execution. To ensure a safe operation, launching the drone should be preceded with flight checks and terrain evaluation. Upon landing the flight logs of the drone and the aerial images are downloaded to a laptop or storage device for processing.

Step 3. Image processing 

Drone technology is predominantly associated with high resolution mapping, but without the powerful Structure from Motion (SfM) technique we would not be experiencing the current mapping revolution. The very high degree of automation in this robust mapping technique is key in the democratization of map making.

The first step in the SfM workflow is the alignment of the cameras. This process can be accelerated by introducing the approximate camera exposure positions as recorded by the flight controller of the drone. These approximate camera positions are also used to approximately geo-reference the positions of the camera positions as well as all subsequent products generated by the SfM process. When GCPs (with their terrestrially determined coordinates) are needed for more precise geo-referencing, their image coordinates have to be observed in each image on which they appear. This is commonly the only manual intervention in the SfM process. Once a terrain model and a texture atlas have been derived, various geo-spatial products can be generated. As a rough rule of thumb some 500 20MP images (covering some 5 to 10 hectares at 10 to 20 millimetres GSD) can be processed at high quality in a matter of 24 hours or less on a gaming laptop.

Step 4. Preparation and visualisation of geo-spatial products

Once the SfM process has been completed various geo-spatial products can be extracted. For a two-dimensional depiction of the terrain an ortho photo is generated on a desired mapping datum and projection. This is a geo-referenced, distortion free raster map (as opposed to a distorted mosaic of “stitched” images). To add the third dimension a digital elevation model (DEM) either in raster or in vector form can be generated. Combining the above products allows for highly realistic 3D visualisations as well as more or less automated analyses such as vegetation health, building detections, terrain evaluations with regard to drainage and irrigation, volume calculations and crop heights, to mention a few.

Step 5. The extraction of essential information 

While raster maps such as high resolution ortho photos with underlying DEMs can convey a tremendous amount of information, they do so at the expense of very large data volumes which require considerable bandwidth for dissemination. Many graphic information systems, such as Computer Aided Drafting (CAD) programmes simply cannot handle these volumes. It is thus necessary to extract from the mass data volumes those elements that are essential for a specific analysis.

This is done by means of virtual surveying, a process which enables the “surveyor” to effortlessly navigate on and over the virtual terrain while performing measurements as if he were in the field. All data captured by the “virtual surveyor” in this fashion is saved in the much more efficient vector format and subsequently exported to CAD or Geographic Information Systems (GIS). The ability to do surveys virtually brings about enormous performance improvements and cost savings to mapping and surveying, typically reducing field work from weeks or months to a few hours.

Other developments related to drone mapping

It should be mentioned that SfM mapping without the use of GCP is also possible. This is accomplished by connecting a miniaturised dual frequency global navigation satellite system (GNSS) receiver to the camera to record the exact time of each exposure. In this way the camera exposure positions can be determined accurately to a few centimetres, thus it is argued, obviating the need for GCP. More research is needed before this approach can overcome the scepticism of many mapping professionals.

Finally, the emergence of ever lighter Lidar scanners is another important development. Lidar has the distinct advantage of penetrating vegetation, something which SfM fails to do.

With these steps and developments in mind digital maps can be created and analysed.

About the author:

Walter Volkmann (walter@unirove.com) is president of Micro Aerial Projects L.L.C., a geodetic and cadastral Surveyor, and geo-spatial solutions specialist.

Source:

Republished with permission from ICT Update, issue 82, April 2016

Follow @UAV4Ag on Twitter

Five steps of making a #map with small #drones #sUAS https://t.co/nkYUb6DcRg #mapping #howto #UAV #raster #vector pic.twitter.com/vTzBxuA1Eq

— Drones 4 Agriculture (@UAV4Ag) June 11, 2016

Counting coconut trees with drones in Western Samoa

On the Pacific islands of Samoa drone technology is used in a coconut tree survey to forecast more accurately yield and production of virgin coconut oil. 

In 2015 the Samoan agricultural non-governmental organisation Women in Business Development Incorporated (WIBDI) realised that it needed a new way to collect and organise comprehensive data from associated farms. The organisation helps local rural families actively engage through fair-trade in the niche market of organic products. They were wondering what would make it easier to carry out organic standards inspections and conduct counts of certain crops, in particular coconut trees.

Coconut is Samoa’s most important renewable resource and export product. The country exports copra coconut oil, virgin coconut oil, coconut cream, desiccated coconut, coconut fibre (coir) and shell products mainly to Australia and New Zealand. WIBDI is the largest exporter of virgin coconut oil in Samoa and its main buyer is The Body Shop, which is based in the United Kingdom.

In search for answers to the data collection problem, WIBDI turned to Samoan tech-services company Skyeye for help. Skyeye’s experts explained to them that the technology of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) – also known as drones – was the perfect solution. It is cheaper than a manned aircraft and capable of collecting higher-resolution imagery than those that are available from a satellite.

Open source server

For its mapping work, Skyeye uses a fixed wing professional mapping UAV, which is capable of covering large areas in a single autonomous flight. ’The drone allows us to capture images of farms that are not easily accessible and it gives us the flexibility to fly whenever we want as long as the weather permits it. Being able to capture up-to-date imagery has been a massive benefit to this digitisation project,’ says Skyeye’s Geographic Information System (GIS) technician Ephraim Reynolds.

After technicians download images from the UAV, they process them into orthomosaics: stitched-together images that have been digitally corrected for distortion, so that they can be overlaid onto a map. They then open these image layers in a free, open source GIS computer programme, known as QGIS. In QGIS, they are able to digitise key farm features – and the high resolution drone imagery clearly shows individual coconut trees, allowing them to conduct a visual count of total tree numbers.

Skyeye uses a GIS feature known as a Web Feature Service (WFS), which allows them to grant users access to its geoserver – an open source server made for sharing geospatial data. With WFS, users are able to download individual layers of information, such as the layer containing information about farm’s coconut trees. With these geospatial data farmers then can make their own changes and updates to the digital map. ‘In this way, Skyeye is able to divide the labour and make the process of analysing the drone imagery faster and more centralised within one system,’ says Reynolds.

Locating landing areas for drones

To further speed up the process of mapping, Skyeye shows farmers images of their farms from the air so they can draw their boundaries. By estimating the age of the palm trees on each of the farmer’s property, WIBDI is able to forecast the yield and production of virgin coconut oil. These estimates can in turn be used to assess the feasibility of future business ventures, and to make more accurate estimates of expected annual profits.

While the drones have been a boon to WIBDI, they have not been entirely trouble-free. According to Reynolds, Skyeye’s biggest challenge has been locating suitable landing areas, as the drone requires an open area free of vegetation to safely land after completing a mission – and such an area can be hard to find on a tropical island. ‘Google’s satellite imagery in Samoa is outdated. Sometimes, we found that the best solution is to ask the locals in the village where we can find suitably clearing,’ he describes.

Maintaining a strong radio link to the drone was another hassle due to tall coconut trees, which can obstruct the signal and result in the drone not capturing images. ’For this, we shortened the range of the drone’s flight path, or found higher ground to launch it from,’ explains Reynolds.

By the end of January 2016, Skyeye had mapped 10,480 hectares by drone and counted 138,180 coconut trees. The drone survey of all 558 farms in WIBDI’s network should be completed by April 2016. In the future, Skyeye Samoa hopes to extend the tree-counting process it has developed for WIBDI.  ’As Samoa and the Pacific continue to realise how drone technology can be used in various industries, especially in agriculture, the region will become better able to reach large markets and keep up with modern advancements,’ says Reynolds.

About the authors:

Ephraim Reynolds (ephraim@skyeye.ws) is GIS technician at Skyeye. Faumuina Felolini Tafuna’i (flyinggeesepro@gmail.com) is media specialist at Women in Business Development Inc. WIBDI.

Source:

Republished with permission from ICT Update, issue 82, April 2016

Follow @UAV4Ag on Twitter

Counting #coconut trees with #drones in Western #Samoa https://t.co/So8iPiwtze via @ict_update #Pacific #SIDS #sUAS pic.twitter.com/T0yiDfTtxX

— Drones 4 Agriculture (@UAV4Ag) June 4, 2016

Mapping for Change: Practice, technologies and communication - 10 years have passed - publication still valid and available

This CD “Mapping for Change: Practice, technologies and communication” includes a selection of papers presented at the “Mapping for Change: International Conference of Spatial Information Management and Communication” held in Nairobi, Kenya, on 7th-10th September, 2005 and published in Participatory Learning and Action (PLA) 54 in April 2006. Guest editors of PLA 54 are Giacomo Rambaldi; Jon Corbett; Mike McCall; Rachel Olson; Julius Muchemi; Peter Kwaku Kyem; Daniel Wiener and Robert Chambers.

The CD contains PDF versions of the articles published in PLA 54 translated in the following languages: Arabic, Bangla, Chinese (traditional and simplified), French, Hindi, Persian-Dari, Portuguese, Spanish, Swahili and Tamil as well as the English versions. The CD includes additional resources (mainly in English), including a video of the Conference and key literature on the practice, including UNESCO Conventions on Cultural Mapping.

Available (for free) to residents in Africa, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries via CTA Publishing.

Credits for Translations, layout and typesetting 

• Arabic: Translation by Dr. El-Hussaini Yehia, Center for Development Services, Cairo, with thanks to Ali Mokhtar
• Bangla: Translation by Enamul Huda and Taifur Rahman, PRA Promoters’ Society, Bangladesh
• Chinese (Simplified): Translation by Liu Xiaoqian, Yang Fang , Li Fang, Li Xiaoyun, China Agricultural University, Beijing
• Chinese (Traditional): Translation by Wang Yaohui, National Linkou Senior High School, Linkou Township, Taiwan with special thanks to Hsiao Ya Wen, National Changhua University of Education, Changhua City, Taiwan (Chapters 1 and 2); Lin Mei Jhih, Shengang Junior High School, Shengang Township, Taichung County, Taiwan (Chapter 4); Chuang Yu Chun, National Yangmei Senior High School, Yangmei Township, Taoyuan County, Taiwan (Chapter 7); Shen Tsui Mei, National Linkou Senior High School, Linkou Township, Taipei County, Taiwan (Chapter 9); Jhang Yu Jing, National Sihu Senior High School, Sihu Township, Changhua County, Taiwan (Chapter 12); Lin Wen-Xin, Kaohsiung Municipal Chung-Cheng Industrial Vocational High School, Cianjhen District, Kaohsiung City, Taiwan (Chapter 15)
• French: Translation by Maryck Nicolas, with thanks to Marie Jaecky of IIED for proofreading
• Hindi: Translation by Meera Jayaswal, with thanks to Dr. Neela Mukherjee, Director, Development Tracks, Delhi, India, and to Mr.K.K.Singh, Ujjawal Kumar and Sanjay Das for page layout and typesetting
• Persian-Dari: Translation by Reza Nobacht, with thanks to CENESTA, Tehran for technical support, to Esmaeel Hamidi and Jeyran Farvar for copy editing and proof reading, to Pooya Ghoddousi for coordination and Jeyran Farvar for page layout and typesetting
• Portuguese: Translation by Francis Sahadeo, with thanks to Ines Fortes for copyediting
• Spanish: Translation by María Isabel Sanz Bonino, with thanks to Alejandra Larrazábal and Mike McCall for copyediting and Tanya Pascual for proofreading
• Swahili: Translation by Catherine Wanjiku Gichingi and Margaret Njeri Gichingiri (ERMIS Africa) with thanks to Julius Muchemi, Executive Director and Bancy Wanjiru, Programme Administrator
• Tamil: Translation by John Devavaram and his team at SPEECH, Madurai, India, including Arunodayam

A three-way dialogue on climate change

The peasant, the decision-maker, the researcher and Participatory 3d Modelling

In the numerous bus stations in N’Djamena, the capital of Chad, all passengers, arriving from other parts of the country, with their bag of worries, know where to find a sympathetic ear. Aladji Ibrahim’s steps lead him to Hindou Oumarou Ibrahim, the coordinator of AFPAT, an organisation which defends the rights of Bororos pastoralists. This is the start of a story of people, animals, space and human rights with, at centre stage, an outstanding “character”: a three-dimensional model. This tool, displayed within an administrative office in Baïbokoum, almost 600 km from N’Djamena, is proving to be an unexpected medium for promoting the dialogue between peasants, local authorities, scientists and national public authorities, all concerned about climate change, reducing conflicts between faming and herding communities, territorial development, the promotion of human rights, ...


Three-way dialogue on climate change

This documentary completes a trilogy of films, produced in phases.

November 2011: IPACC and AFPAT co-organised, with the support of the Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation (CTA), a workshop on pastoralism, traditional knowledge, meteorology and the development of policies for adapting to climate change. Climate governance was the focus of the debates, with around the table indigenous herders from South Africa, Kenya, Namibia and Niger, meteorologists, ministers and representatives of international organisations. This workshop culminated in the so-called N’djamena Declaration , which emphasised the urgent need to involve vulnerable groups in the development of policies to mitigate climate change. It recommended the use of participatory approaches and visualisation tools to represent the available space at community level.


Climate Governance: A matter of survival for nomadic pastoralists

July–August 2012. The Baïbokoum workshop on Participatory three-Dimensional Modelling (P3DM), with as its theme the prevention and management of conflicts between farming and herding communities, implemented the N’djamena recommendations. The combination of the knowledge of indigenous communities and the skills of experienced facilitators resulted in the production of a physical three-dimensional model depicting in detail an area of 720 sq km at a 1:10,000 scale.


Dangers in the bush, map of good faith

One year on, what has become of the model, the result of the multi-stakeholder dialogue? The third documentary answers this question. It narrates the journey undertaken by Hindou Oumarou Ibrahim to Baïbokoum. At her destination, she meets pastoralists and edgy authorities. They would like to popularise the model with farmers, traditional community leaders and in local development programmes. But they lack the necessary technical and financial resources. Their cry from the heart is conveyed to N’Djamena by the tireless advocate of the cause of Bororos herdsman: Hindou Oumarou Ibrahim.

Oil palm expansion in the Philippines: geo-tagged evidences of an imminent tragedy

By ALDAW Network (Ancestral Land/Domain Watch): Between June and August 2009, an ALDAW mission travelled to the Municipalities of Brooke’s Point and Sofronio Española (Province of Palawan) to carry out field reconnaissance and audio-visual documentation on the social and ecological impact of oil palm (Elaeis guineensis) plantations.  The mission’s primary task focused on two major objectives: 1) gathering data through interviews, ocular inspection and participatory geographic information systems methodologies; 2) providing communities with detailed information on the ecological and social impact of oil palm plantations, to allow them to make informed decisions while confronting oil palm companies, state laws and bureaucracy.

Successive ALDAW field appraisals in oil palm impacted areas took place between July 2010 and early 2013, and included the Municipalities of Aborlan, Rizal and Quezon. During ALDAW field research, GPS coordinates were obtained through the use of a professional device connected to the camera’s hot shoe.  

The geotagged images have been loaded into a geo-aware application and displayed on satellite Google map. The actual ‘matching’ of GPS data to photographs has revealed that, in specific locations, oil palm plantations are expanding at the expenses of primary and secondary forest and are competing with pre-existing cultivations (coconut groves, fruit tress, wet-rice, etc).

The conversion of productive paddy land and forest into oil palm plantations is particularly evident in the Municipality of Quezon .

Oil palm plantations have also expanded in areas used by indigenous people for the cultivation of local varieties of upland rice, root crops and fruit trees.  Furthermore, the fencing of large areas of oil palm plantations makes it difficult for local communities to reach their upland fields and forest.

Geottaged evidences have also revealed the exact location of commonly used NTFPs, such as buri palms (Corypa elata) and bamboos that are being destroyed through massive land clearing by oil palm companies.

Moreover, geocoded photos have provided indications on the location of rivers and freshwater sources that are being incorporated into oil palm plantations and that are likely to become polluted through the use of pesticides and fertilizers.

These freshwater sources provide potable water for local communities and some of them are essential for the maintenance of community-based dams.

Initial steps are now being taken to establish collaborative exchanges between the oil palm impacted indigenous communities of Palawan and those of Mindanao which are facing a similar fate.  These exchanges and cross-visits will include training courses on geotagging and participatory videos done by indigenous peoples (ALDAW staff) to other indigenous groups such as the Higaonon of Bukidnon.  In addition to this, during such cross-visits, common advocacy strategies to resist oil palm expansion nationwide will be identified.

In response to recent research findings, see Palawan Oil Palm Geotagged Report 2013 (Part 1 and Part 2)

ALDAW has launched two major campaign initiatives:

• Petition 1 (covers Palawan and Mindanao, addressed to the National Government) 
• Petition 2 (covers Palawan specifically, addressed towards the Provincial Government, the Palawan Council for Sustainable Development (PCSD) and the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP)

Oil palm expansion on indigenous land both in Palawan and Mindanao should be stopped with haste, before its adverse socio-ecological impact becomes irreversible. Please, give your contribution by signing the above petitions.

Participatory 3D Modelling in Tobago - Live radio broadcasts - podcasts

Tobagonians will build a participatory 3D model of Tobago to plan for impacts of climate change and extreme climatic events

Over 200 residents of Tobago will come together in early October 2012 to build a three-dimensional model of Tobago. The process will contribute to formulating responses and develop action plans addressing the impacts of climate change and extreme climatic events.

The process will be facilitated by the Caribbean Natural Resources Institute (CANARI), the University of the West Indies (UWI), the Tobago House of Assembly (THA), Division of Agriculture, Marine Affairs, Marketing and the Environment (DAME) and the Partners with Melanesians (PwM).  The project is funded by the Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation ACP-EU (CTA) and the United Nations Development Programme and the Global Environment Facility (GEF) Small Grants Programme (SGP).

The project will pilot, for the first time in the region, the use of participatory three-dimensional modelling (P3DM).  P3DM is a tool that can be used across the Caribbean islands to facilitate effective participation by local communities and other stakeholders in the identification of general policy priorities, as well as specific policies and actions needed on the ground  to address the impacts of climate change and extreme climatic events.  P3DM will allow the recognition of the value of traditional knowledge, increase capacity, facilitate coordination and collaboration across sectors, and build buy-in for implementation of plans for resilience to climate change and extreme climatic events.

In this regard, 15 trainees from the Caribbean region (including five from Tobago) will be trained to facilitate the building of the model. Nearly 50 observers from the region will visit during the construction of the model.  Lessons learned and experiences will be documented and shared using a variety of media including participatory video, blogs and policy briefs.

P3DM produced in Boe Boe, Solomon Islands
Image courtesy of Javier Leon, University of Wollongong

The physical output of the workshop will consist in a 1:10,000-scale 3D model of the entire island of Tobago and its surrounding waters up to a depth of -100 meters. The model will cover an area of approximately 1,152 km2.



Once the model will be completed island'a representatives will produce a civil society agenda to tackle among others climate change issues in the island.  This activity consisting in a 3-day workshop will be facilitated by CANARI, through the support of grant funding from the Federal Republic of Germany.

CTA will further provide capacity building in the domains of Web 2.0 and Social Media to enhance Information, Communication and Knowledge Management (ICKM) among local stakeholders. 

On 5 and 6 September 2012, UWI, DAME and CANARI will host mobilisation meetings in east and south-west Tobago to sensitise the residents in Tobago about the project and to confirm participation of civil society groups in the exercise.

For further information, please contact: Neila Bobb-Prescott - Manager, Forest, Livelihoods and Governance Programme, Caribbean Natural Resources Institute.

Note: The initiative is supported by CTA in the context of the project "Promoting participatory ICTs for adding value to traditional knowledge in climate change adaptation, advocacy and policy processes in the Caribbean and the Pacific". For information on this project you may contact Giacomo Rambaldi, Sr. Programme Coordinator, ICT4D, CTA


Video collection of P3DM initiatives: http://vimeo.com/channels/pgis
P3DM worldwide: www.p3dm.org

Pastoralists seek water and peace in Chad: Account of a participatory mapping exercise in the Sahel

BAÏBOKOUM, CHAD: 31 July to 11 August 2012, the Association des Femmes Peules Autochtones du Tchad (AFPAT), in cooperation with the Secretariat of the Indigenous Peoples of Africa Coordinating Committee (IPACC), conducted a training course on Participatory 3 Dimensional Modelling in the area of Baïbokoum, Logone Oriental, in southern Chad.

The Chadian mapping project focused on training pastoralist activists from different parts of Chad, as well as from neighbouring countries and East Africa in the basics of cartography and how to conduct a Participatory 3D Modeling (P3DM) exercise with nomads and semi-nomadic M’bororo indigenous people in the Baïbokoum area.


Three-way dialogue on climate change from CTA on Vimeo.

Baïbokoum’s rural population is faced with competing resource challenges similar to other parts of Africa. These include changes in land use, notably encroachment by sedentary farmers, loss of biodiversity as a result of land use change, the impact of extractive industries and climate change impacts. All of these factors contribute to increasing human vulnerability, soil and biodiversity degradation, food insecurity and risks of conflict.

The Baïbokoum project followed on the November 2011 workshop in N’Djamena, Chad where pastoralists from AFPAT and the IPACC network met with the World Meteorological Organisation, UNESCO, CTA and the meteorological services of Chad to discuss climate adaptation and the risks experienced by nomadic communities in Africa today. The N’Djamena workshop led to the N’Djamena Declaration on traditional knowledge and climate adaptation which was presented at the 17th Conference of Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change.

Nomadic, semi-nomadic community members from the villages in the district then spent 3 days coding the map with the indigenous traditional knowledge; showing land use, traditional routes of cattle migration, ecosystem features, and biodiversity information. 

Trainees came to Baïbokoum from five different regions of Chad, as well as from Niger, Cameroon, Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda. Technical support and training was provided by Mr Barthelemy Boika from the Réseau des Ressources Naturelles in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Additional training and guidance was provided by the Secretariat of IPACC, from South Africa.

Trainees did practical work with ephemeral mapping, GPS skills training, elicitation of a vernacular language legend (in this case in Fufulde), and orientation on the basics of cartography, scaling and georeferencing.

They spent four days constructing a scaled, geo-referenced 3D model of Baïbokoum and environs (24km x 20 km; 1:10 000 scale).

The resulting Participatory 3D Model (P3DM) had some notably features, including the emphasis placed by pastoralists on different types of surface water – seasonal, permanent, swampy and flowing.

Herders also were able to identify six tree species which are protected under M’bororo customary law. The six species of trees, all of them with medicinal and ecosystems functions, may not be cut or damaged, and serve as navigation reference points over generations.

Herders’ main concerns revolved around the expansion of sedentary farmers who have blocked traditional transhumance routes that allow cattle access to potable water. Herders accuse the farmers of burning their fields, thus killing off biodiversity and including long protected tree species. Herders noted that there were now oil wells being dug in the adjacent territory and a pipeline that are creating pressure on them from both sides. Sudden shifts of weather and climate, including both droughts and floods have made them more vulnerable and increased the risk of armed conflict in the region.

Over sixty M’bororo community members participated in the mapping, as well as the trainees, villagers and school goers. Leaders in the community felt confident that the map could help alleviate simmering conflicts in the community.

His Excellency, the Governor of Logone Orientale

The event was formally closed on 10 August by His Excellency, the Governor of Logone Orientale, the President of the 5% Revenue from Oil Exploration, the Prefect and Deputy-Prefect of Baïbokoum, and representatives of the national Gendarmerie and Ministries of Livestock, Agriculture and the Department responsible for climate change.

The Governor immediately offered to mediate a process between sedentary and nomadic communities to restore transhumance corridors for herders to be able to access water again. Participants noted that sedentary and nomadic communities could have symbiotic and supportive relationships. Resolving conflicts and having a preventative approach to resolving resource competition is a fundamental aspect of climate adaptation and development of rural areas.

AFPAT Coordinator, Hindou Oumarou Ibrahim praised the government and community for their willingness to explore new avenues of cooperation. She noted the traditional importance placed by M’bororo men and women on nature conservation and has opened discussions with the President of the 5% oil revenues to look at how M’bororo herders can be more involved in protecting the threatened forest spaces in the mountains outside Baïbokoum.

The mapping process and examination of issues of conflict and peace building was documented by Jade Productions as a film to be released for the 18th Conference of Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change in Doha, Qatar. National media reported throughout the workshop on radio and then broadcast a television report after the closing protocol event.

The workshop took place during the holy month of Ramadan, which added an extra dimension of how religious teachings and values can also encourage people to work cooperatively, even in circumstances where they do not share a language between them. Indigenous herders from Kenya, Cameroon and Niger all joined their Chadian partners during the prayers and fasting during the two week workshop.

The event was generously supported by the Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation ACP-EU (CTA), with additional financial support from Bread for the World, Norwegian Church Aid and Misereor. Documents, photographs and videos can be seen on www.ipacc.org.za

Credits for text and images: Nigel Crawhall, IPACC

Trading Bows and Arrows for Laptops: Carbon & Culture

The Surui Cultural Map shows the Surui tribe of the Amazon's vision of their forest, including their territory and traditional history. To create this map, Surui youth interviewed their elders to document and map their ancestral sites, such as the site of first contact with western civilization in 1969, places where the tribes battled with colonists in the 1970s, as well as places of interest, like sightings of jaguars, capybaras and toucans. To preserve their forest and their livelihood, the Surui are entering the Carbon Credit marketplace with software called Open Data Kit to measure carbon and monitor any illegal logging in their forests using Android smartphones.

Risks of Mapping Indigenous Lands, Ep 2 - Giacomo Rambaldi, CTA

Giacomo Rambaldi from CTA discusses participatory mapping including the benefits and risks during the "Participatory Mapping and Community Empowerment for Climate Change Adaptation, Planning and Advocacy workshop" held in Solomon Islands on 21-26 May 2012.

Video by TNC, Kat Gawlik

Mapping Indigenous Lands, Ep 1 - Dave De Vera, Philippines

Dave De Vera, executive director of PAFID is an advocate in rights based approaches and expert in participatory mapping (in particular participatory three dimensional modelling or P3DM). In this short interview Dave discusses the ethical considerations during the "Participatory Mapping and Community Empowerment for Climate Change Adaptation, Planning and Advocacy workshop" held in Solomon Islands on 21-26 May 2012.

Video by TNC, Kat Gawlik

Crowdsourcing Geographic Knowledge: Volunteered Geographic Information (VGI) in Theory and Practice

Crowdsourcing Geographic Knowledge: Volunteered Geographic Information (VGI) in Theory and Practice to be released in August 2012.

The phenomenon of volunteered geographic information is part of a profound transformation in how geographic data, information, and knowledge are produced and circulated.

By situating volunteered geographic information (VGI) in the context of big-data deluge and the data-intensive inquiry, the 20 chapters in this book explore both the theories and applications of crowdsourcing for geographic knowledge production with three sections focusing on (i) VGI, Public Participation, and Citizen Science; (ii) Geographic Knowledge Production and Place Inference; and (iii) Emerging Applications and New Challenges.

This book argues that future progress in VGI research depends in large part on building strong linkages with diverse geographic scholarship. Contributors of this volume situate VGI research in geography’s core concerns with space and place, and offer several ways of addressing persistent challenges of quality assurance in VGI.

This book positions VGI as part of a shift toward hybrid epistemologies, and potentially a fourth paradigm of data-intensive inquiry across the sciences. It also considers the implications of VGI and the exaflood for further time-space compression and new forms, degrees of digital inequality, the renewed importance of geography, and the role of crowdsourcing for geographic knowledge production.

The power of information: Map Kibera uses GIS, SMS, video and the web to gather community data

The Map Kibera project works with young people from one of Africa’s biggest slums. They use GIS, SMS, video and the web to gather data and make it available to the community, where it can be applied to influence policies related to the area.

Located just five kilometres from the capital of Kenya, Nairobi, the residents of Kibera have grown accustomed to the many foreign experts visiting their community to conduct surveys and ask questions for yet another data collection initiative. As one of the largest slum areas in Africa, it draws staff from development organisations, research institutes and NGOs from all over the world.

As all these organisations and researchers generate more and more documents and project reports about Kibera, very little of the information gathered is ever made available to the 250,000 people who live there. Access to the data would give the people of Kibera the chance to present their own view of the living conditions in the community. They would be able to influence public policy to achieve improvements to the facilities that they believe are important.

In 2009, Erica Hagen, a specialist in the use of new media for development, and Mikel Maron, a digital mapping expert, started Map Kibera to help residents use mapping technology to gather information about their community. For the initial phase of the project, they recruited 13 local young people, aged between 19 to 34, including five women and eight men, from each village in Kibera.

The participants received two days training on how to use handheld GPS receivers to gather location data, and an introduction to using the specialised software in a computer lab. The team was supported by five GIS professionals from Nairobi who had volunteered their time. The participants then spent three weeks walking along the roads, pathways and rail tracks with their GPS receivers recoding the location data. They collected more specific information on water and sewage locations, education, religious and business locations, as well as anything else the participants deemed useful.

Collaboration

Rather than create a stand-alone map, the location data gathered by the project was added to the open source project OpenStreetMap, which is a crowdsourced map made by volunteers around the world. Map Kibera contributed to filling their part of OpenStreetMap, which would also make the information available to more people, and help to raise the profile of the project.

The team also wanted to add a multimedia aspect to the maps, by including video footage of points of interest from around Kibera, and uploading them to YouTube. Three members of Carolina for Kibera (CFK), affiliated with the University of North Carolina, assisted with the filming and helped to document the map making process using small camcorders.

The young people involved in the project developed a sense of achievement as they learned the new skills, and gained confidence in using new technologies. They also began to see the value of the information they were collecting and to understand the impact it could have on their community. However, it was not so easy to convince other residents.

There was a lot of cynicism in the local community caused by the NGOs who had previously come to Kibera but never shared their information. People were, therefore, reluctant to be filmed and photographed. Although the GPS data gathering was less intrusive, the technology presented other difficulties.

The lack of reliable power and inadequate internet access in Kibera were major challenges, especially when it came to uploading large video files to the web, which can take a long time. The slow internet connection also made it difficult to update security software on the computers, leaving them vulnerable to damaging viruses.

These were challenges that could be overcome in time, but for the project to be a real success, it would have to show that it could provide useful information to the community. The mapping project was, therefore, expanded to incorporate public participation geographic information systems (PPGIS) to gather information on specific issues affecting the residents of Kibera.

The group focused on collecting detailed data on four sectors: health, security, education, and water and sanitation. In February 2010, Map Kibera developed a partnership with UNICEF and added a fifth topic: mapping girls’ security. The aim here was to get the girls’ views on possible threats to their security, along with location information, for use in compiling data on their vulnerability to HIV/Aids.

Nine mappers collected data on the five topics using paper forms, gathering, for example, details of the costs and services offered at clinics and chemists in the area. To further encourage community involvement and get feedback on the information gathered, the team produced printed versions of maps for each area and placed transparencies on top so that residents could make changes and additions as necessary. Map Kibera also involved other interested organisations working in the health and security sectors in the area, including African Medical and Research Foundation and a women's group called Kibera Power Women.

Positive picture

As well as making the maps and multimedia available online, Map Kibera looked for other ways for the community to use the information gathered. For instance, the video material filmed as part of the mapping exercises could also be used to present news stories of the area. This idea expanded and the team worked with two youth from Kibera, who already had film-making experience.

They trained 18 young people to use small ‘ultra-portable’ Flip video cameras and the software to help them share their efforts on the web. This led to Kibera News Network (KNN), a citizen journalism initiative to present features and news stories affecting Kibera, showing positive aspects of the area and providing accurate coverage of negative events.

Mainstream media often focused on the misery and negativity in Kibera. The only events certain to attract mainstream media attention were clashes with the police or when the trains that run along the area’s peripheries were disrupted. Map Kibera attempts to change the perception of Kibera by allowing people to create and share their own stories.

The KNN teams edit the videos themselves and post them on YouTube – giving them a direct and immediate link to a global audience. The videos are also available on the Voice of Kibera, a community news website that also hosts the digital map. Residents can even post their own geo-located stories to the map using SMS.

Map Kibera used the open source tool, Ushahidi, to make the contributions via SMS possible. Ushahidi was initially developed after the 2008 Kenyan elections, to track reports of violence. It is a tool for crowdsourcing information using, e-mail, Twitter and the web as well as SMS. When someone in Kibera contributes an article, an SMS gateway filters the incoming texts according to keywords. Messages with the keyword ‘Kibera’ are fed into the Voice of Kibera website, where they are mapped using GPS coordinates, and approved by the editor before finally appearing on the site.

In 2010, the team founded the GroundTruth Initiative to support Map Kibera and other future projects. In the same year, UN Habitat awarded Map Kibera with a youth fund grant to expand its work to other parts of Nairobi, leading to co-operation with the community in another slum, Mukuru. A group in Mathare Valley, the second-largest slum in Nairobi, was also interested in creating a similar project, and, through funding from Plan International, a team is now collaborating on a participatory development programme there.

The Map Kibera Trust, which has a core membership of 30 young people, is working with similar communities in other parts of Kenya, and in Tanzania. A core aim of the Trust is to not only make people aware of openly available technology and information, but also to train local people to use them to benefit the community. The information now available to the residents of Kibera has caused a shift in power, providing them with reliable data to present their own case, and enabling to directly influence the policies that affect their lives.

By Erica Hagen and Mikel Maron
Article re-published with permission from ICT Update

Erica Hagen is a freelance writer, photographer, videographer and specialist on new media for development.
Mikel Maron is co-director of GroundTruth Initiative, and board member of OpenStreetMap Foundation

Related links

• Map Kibera
• Voice of Kibera
• Kibera News Network
• OpenStreetMap

Participatory 3D Modelling of Manus Island, PNG

Participatory 3D modelling (P3DM) activity supported by The Nature Conservancy (TNC) and partners in 2011 in PNG to help residents of Manus Island map out the terrestrial, coastal and marine resources and to  plan for adapting to potential impacts due to climate change.

Source: TNC

Fair water sharing: from Storytelling to Community Mapping in Egypt

TheWaterChannel

This video explains the steps towards a successful PPGIS practice: visit the pilot area, get to know movers/shakers, filling the ppgis invitation, identify core stakeholder group, build relationships, etc. Footage from ppgis workshops is shown.

Aerial Photography and Image Interpretation - third edition published

Extensively revised to address today's technological advances, Aerial Photography and Image Interpretation, Third Edition offers a thorough survey of the technology, techniques, processes, and methods used to create and interpret aerial photographs.

The new edition also covers other forms of remote sensing with topics that include the most current information on orthophotography (including digital), soft copy photogrammetry, digital image capture and interpretation, GPS, GIS, small format aerial photography, statistical analysis and thematic mapping errors, and more.

A basic introduction is also given to nonphotographic and space-based imaging platforms and sensors, including Landsat, lidar, thermal, and multispectral.

This new Third Edition features:

• Additional coverage of the specialized camera equipment used in aerial photography 
• A strong focus on aerial photography and image interpretation, allowing for a much more thorough presentation of the techniques, processes, and methods than is possible in the broader remote sensing texts currently available Straightforward, user-friendly writing style 
•  Expanded coverage of digital photography 
•  Test questions and summaries for quick review at the end of each chapter 

Written in a straightforward style supplemented with hundreds of photographs and illustrations, Aerial Photography and Image Interpretation, Third Edition is the most in-depth resource for undergraduate students and professionals in such fields as forestry, geography, environmental science, archaeology, resource management, surveying, civil and environmental engineering, natural resources, and agriculture.

Also available in Kindle edition

Authors:

The late David P. Paine was Professor Emeritus in the Department of Forest Engineering, Resources, and Management at Oregon State University.

James D. Kiser is an Assistant Professor and Head Undergraduate Advisor in the Department of Forest Engineering, Resources, and Management at Oregon State University in Corvallis, Oregon.??He is also a Certified Photogrammetrist.

The Voice of the Ogiek (video)

In 2006 a little known ethnic group – called the Ogiek - created a three-dimensional map of their ancestral land in Kenya. In the past members of this indigenous community were regarded as second class citizen. Today, their story has gained international recognition. The Kenyan government is increasingly listening to their voice and including them in a dialogue over the future of their community and of the Mau Forest.

This is the story of how the Ogiek found their voice …

For more information on the case visit: http://goo.gl/H5drF