Making Earth Observation work for biodiversity and ecosystem services
JNCC have expertise in the field of Earth Observation (EO) and use this to provide high-quality evidence on biodiversity and ecosystems to inform decisions affecting the environment. Through using open data available from the Sentinel satellites, part of the Copernicus Programme, EO can help meet environmental policy and operational evidence needs. This is an unprecedented opportunity and JNCC are forging a role to support environmental applications.
The widespread availability of satellite and other earth observation data is opening up a huge range of potential applications to monitor the natural environment and ecosystem services it provides. JNCC is forging a role and a key player in this innovative field. It has been very active in developing the opportunities and provides support and advice in the following areas:
- Mapping habitat extent
- Assessing habitat condition for biodiversity and ecosystem services
- Provision of analysis ready forms of EO data and products
- Providing facilities to support the ‘big data’ analysis needed to detect change
- Advising and providing training on how these technologies can form part of operational work for public sector bodies
- Detecting marine activities
JNCC are active members of a number of groups including the Defra EO Centre of Excellence, the Scottish Remote Sensing Group and the Welsh Earth Observation Group. Through these, JNCC advise on projects covering a range of policy areas, such as rural payments, water quality monitoring, forestry and habitat assessments. This maximises efficiency of data use, and costs, across all environment sectors. JNCC provide EO skills to accelerate uptake and help the country conservation bodies develop their own capabilities.
Through developing partnerships with the National Centre for Earth Observation (NCEO) and SMEs, JNCC is promoting standards for environmental evidence from EO.
Developed methods including:
- Identification of habitats – the Crick Framework provides an approach to categorise how well EO techniques can be used to identify habitats and features on the ground
- Determining habitat extent – have developed methods for determining and mapping the extent of habitats using satellite data
- Assessing habitat condition - methods for utilising EO data in assessing factors that will impact on habitat condition
- Analysis Ready Data standards – standard mechanisms to process data from Sentinel 1 and Sentinel 2 into a format that is ready to use which significantly cuts the cost of developing new applications.
JNCC also works with governments of UK Overseas Territories and other countries across the globe to generate data products to help them manage their Natural Capital and Ecosystem Services, alongside conducting research to monitor and assess habitat condition.