Advancing the Mapping and Monitoring of Mangroves in Southeast Asia
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam / August 9-12, 2016
 Mangrove forests provide a wide range of ecosystem services, including high carbon storage capacity and protection against natural disasters. Sustainable management of mangroves thus plays an important role in global climate change mitigation and adaptation. Southeast Asia is home to some of the world's most diverse mangrove forests, however these complex ecosystems are under constant threat from conversion to other land uses. Accurate, reliable, and timely information on the distribution and dynamics of mangrove forests is crucial for ensuring their sustainable management.
With this in mind, SERVIR-Mekong, the Sustainable Wetlands Adaptation and Mitigation Program (SWAMP), and SilvaCarbon co-organized a regional workshop in Ho Chi Minh City to share the latest advances in mangrove mapping and monitoring and to facilitate the application of existing operational methods. The workshop, which was conducted in collaboration with the Vietnam Forest Inventory and Planning Institute (FIPI) and Can Tho University, focused primarily on Cambodia, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam, with additional examples from Bangladesh and Indonesia. The event drew over 60 participants, including representatives from government agencies responsible for mangrove management and land use mapping, research institutions, and civil society.
Through presentations, field activities, and focused discussions, participants were able to determine the mangrove management priorities for their countries and identify appropriate mapping products and approaches. Participants recognized the importance of mangrove mapping for monitoring ecosystem functions as well as for socio-economic purposes, particularly land tenure and management rights, and saw the value of mangrove mapping for planning and monitoring restoration activities. Participants also identified relevant training and data needs and discussed the utility of regional collaboration and data sharing to help address those needs.
Outputs from the workshop will include a policy brief and a technical review to be shared with the wider community. A workshop contact list with photos of participants and organizers is available here, and additional photos from a workshop field visit to the Can Gio Mangrove Biosphere Reserve are available here. Contact: Marija Kono, mkono.silvacarbon@gmail.com.
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During a field visit to the Can Gio Mangrove Biosphere Reserve, US Forest Service expert Richard MacKenzie and others demonstrated the use of field tools for mangrove carbon accounting, including laser hypsometers (pictured), which are used to calculate mangrove tree height.
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Workshop participants learned to apply the SWAMP field protocol for assessing mangrove carbon stocks, and discussed the integration of field data and remote sensing data to improve carbon estimates.
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Mangroves house a vast array of aquatic and terrestrial species, making them critical to biodiversity conservation as well as climate change mitigation and adaptation.
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Participants and organizers of the joint regional workshop on mangrove mapping and monitoring in Ho Chi Minh City, August 9-12, 2016. (Click here for high resolution image).
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Central Africa
Cameroon – Remote sensing support for forest monitoring
Yaounde, Cameroon / June 2016
SilvaCarbon organized a mission to Yaounde in June to provide technical assistance to Cameroon’s REDD+ Steering Committee on remote sensing, image processing, and geostatistical analysis, and to discuss the potential of developing a NASA-supported data cube for use by Cameroon or possibly by regional partner OSFAC. Relevant technical capacities and needs were assessed during the visit, as well as next steps for future activities to be led by the US Geological Survey (USGS) with support from the US Forest Service (USFS). Contact: Alex Neidermeier, anneidermeier@fs.fed.us; Doug Muchoney, dmuchoney@usgs.gov.
Cameroon – National forest monitoring system development
Mbalmayo, Cameroon / August 23-24, 2016
Building on ongoing SilvaCarbon support to the REDD+ Steering Committee and partner organizations in Cameroon, a working group meeting was held in Mbalmayo, Cameroon to finalize Cameroon’s key land-use categories and land cover classes, which will be vital in assessing carbon pools in Cameroon’s designated agro-ecological zones. Contact: Alex Neidermeier, anneidermeier@fs.fed.us.
Latin America
Regional – Micrometeorology study tour
University of Minnesota, USA / May 23-28, 2016
Technical staff from Colombia, Peru, and Ecuador visited the University of Minnesota to participate in a short course on micrometeorogy provided by Professor Tim Griffins. The group of technicians will be responsible for the use and maintenance of eddy covariance towers being installed in the three countries, which will help increase understanding of carbon cycling in key Amazonian ecosystems and provide research and capacity-building opportunities to local scientists from academia and government. Contact: Craig Wayson, cwayson.silvacarbon@gmail.com.
Regional – Belowground carbon study tour
University of Michigan Biological Station, USA / June 6-16, 2016
A ten-day course provided hands-on training to Mexican and Central American participants in the design, implementation, and analysis of belowground carbon inventories. This recurring study tour, now in its fourth year, is coordinated jointly with the Mexico program and aims to provide a space for Mexican and Central American research professionals, government officials, and university students to learn about the entire process of belowground carbon accounting, from field collection to data cleaning and analysis. This year's course included technical presentations from instructors and participants, field trips to sites with diverse soils for demonstration and practice, guided lab work and data analysis, and consultation and discussion. SilvaCarbon supported the participation of three participants from Costa Rica and two participants from Guatemala. Contact: Rachel Sheridan, rachelsheridan@fs.fed.us.
Regional – Joint workshop on forest type stratification
Mexico City, Mexico / June 7-10, 2016
SilvaCarbon co-organized a workshop with Wageningen University that brought together REDD+ monitoring experts and practitioners from across Latin America to discuss evolving needs and current state of the science in forest stratification mapping. Working group sessions helped participants identify gaps and obstacles that hinder forest monitoring progress and develop an action plan for improving the scientific basis for national forest monitoring for REDD+. Organizing partners included the Global Forest Observations Initiative (GFOI), Global Observation of Forest and Land Cover Dynamics (GOFC-GOLD) program, and Mexico’s national commission on biodiversity (CONABIO). Contact: Sylvia Wilson, snwilson@usgs.gov.
Ecuador – Remote sensing workshop for resource assessment and land cover mapping using radar data
Quito, Ecuador / June 14-16, 2016
Two USGS scientists conducted a three-day workshop in Quito, Ecuador on the use of radar data for resource assessment and land cover mapping. The workshop was hosted by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in collaboration with the Ecuador Ministry of the Environment (MAE). There were 20 participants representing different departments within MAE, as well as universities. The workshop incorporated a combination of lectures and hands-on exercises based on ENVI image processing software. Most of the spaceborne optical and radar imagery used in workshop focused on locations in Ecuador. Contact: Sylvia Wilson, snwilson@usgs.gov.
Costa Rica – Pilot study coordination meeting
San Jose, Costa Rica / July 7, 2016
The Costa Rica Climate Fellow, Randy Hamilton, is supporting the piloting of a proposed land use and land cover monitoring system for Costa Rica which will satisfy REDD+, greenhouse gas, and other national and international reporting requirements. Key Costa Rican institutions have achieved an unprecedented level of coordination and cooperation with regard to implementing pilot studies to test the monitoring system, including the National Meteorological Institute, National System of Conservation Areas, National Forestry Financing Fund, National Center for Geo-environmental Information, State Forestry Administration, and National University of Costa Rica. During a July coordination meeting with some of these institutions and FAO, agreement was reached regarding the locations of the pilot studies and the land use and land cover classification systems to be used. Contact: Randy Hamilton, rhamilton.usfs@gmail.com.
Regional – GFOI Workshop: MRV training-of-trainers
Lima, Peru / July 3-7, 2016
A regional workshop for Latin American countries, co-organized by GOFC-GOLD in collaboration with USGS and USFS and a number of international partners, assembled a group of regional forest monitoring leaders in Lima to provide targeted training in the use of available capacity-building resources for forest monitoring and REDD+ measurement, reporting, and verification (MRV). The workshop focused on increasing understanding and uptake of GFOI’s REDDcompass web application, training modules from GOFC-GOLD’s Sourcebook, the World Bank’s REDD+ Decision Support Toolbox, and other complementary resources. The main objective of the workshop was to train leaders in the use of these resources so that they can return to their countries and train others, and demonstrate the value of the resources in developing forest monitoring and MRV systems. There were approximately 40 participants representing 9 different countries and supporting organizations from across Latin America, all of whom were collectively identified by the organizing partners based on existing relationships. Other workshop organizers included World Bank FCPF, GFOI, UNREDD, and the Government of Australia. Contact: Sylvia Wilson, snwilson@usgs.gov.
Peru – Remote sensing applications workshop: BEEODA and COVE Tools
Lima, Peru / July 8, 2016
USGS and Boston University collaborated to provide a training directed at the Peru Ministry of Environment and universities on the open-source BEEODA suite of software and education materials. The training session familiarized participants with the tool, which was installed on-site, and included a session in which participants learned one of the modules from the BEEODA tutorial. The module was on image segmentation, and the method used was mean-shift segmentation. The course concluded with an explanation of the modules in BEEODA and how to use the training materials. Contact: Sylvia Wilson, snwilson@usgs.gov.
Ecuador – Eddy covariance tower installation
Coca, Ecuador / July 15-18, 2016
SilvaCarbon Latin America coordinator Craig Wayson visited the eddy covariance tower being installed at the Tiputini Scientific Station in Ecuador in order to adjust and calibrate the wiring system for the instruments on the tower. The sensors will measure direct carbon dioxide exchange between this near-pristine Amazon forest and the atmosphere, and will help increase understanding of the carbon cycling of the ecosystem as well as provide capacity-building opportunities for local researchers in academia and government. Contact: Craig Wayson, cwayson.silvacarbon@gmail.com.
South and Southeast Asia
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Vietnam – Workshop on national forest inventory and forest resource monitoring
Hanoi, Vietnam / June 22, 2016
A high-level workshop brought together a wide range of forest management stakeholders in Vietnam to highlight the importance of national forest forest inventory and monitoring in providing inputs to national planning and policy formulation, informing decision-making processes, and fulfilling commitments to international initiatives such as the UNFCCC Paris Agreement and the FAO Global Forest Resource Assessment. The workshop was attended by Vietnamese government agencies at national and local levels, line ministries, field implementers, and research institutions, as well as a number of donor programs including FAO, SilvaCarbon (USAID and USFS), UN-REDD, and GIZ. The event helped to clarify differences between two existing forest inventory systems in Vietnam – the National Forest Inventory and Statistics and the National Forest Inventory, Assessment, and Monitoring of Forest Resource Changes (NFIMAP) programs – and provided an opportunity for participants to make recommendations about how the proposed fifth cycle of the NFIMAP can be finalized and submitted for approval and implementation. Contact: Sarah Banks, scbanks@fs.fed.us.
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Thomas Brandeis of the USFS Forest Inventory and Analysis Program delivered a presentation on the US national forest inventory and how it used to fulfill key functions in the US. Photo credit: Vo Viet Cuong.
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Vietnam – Forest Inventory QA/QC protocol development
Hanoi, Vietnam / June 22-24, 2016
USFS continued its ongoing technical support to the Vietnamese Forest Inventory and Planning Institute (FIPI) by assisting with the development of a quality assurance/quality control (QA/QC) protocol for forest inventory data. Following a workshop on the importance of forest resource monitoring in Vietnam, USFS forest inventory expert Tom Brandeis worked with FIPI’s QA/QC team to finalize a framework for the protocol based on a review of existing local and international QA/QC guidelines. Specific tasks were identified and assigned to team members for further developing the framework. Contact: Sarah Banks, scbanks@fs.fed.us.
Regional Partner Activity – FAO workshop on enhanced transparency for NDC implementation
Bangkok, Thailand / June 27-29, 2016
A regional workshop organized by FAO convened government representatives from ten countries in the Asia-Pacific region to discuss national inventory and monitoring systems for tracking progress in the land sector toward achieving country Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). As part of the workshop, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) presented the ALU tool in support of the Enhanced Transparency Framework. Workshop discussions outlined capacity gaps facing countries in the region related to data needs and data management in the land use sector. These gaps and needs will be considered in the work planning process for the next phase of the SilvaCarbon program. Contact: Marija Kono, mkono.silvacarbon@gmail.com; Mausami Desai, Desai.Mausami@epa.gov.
Bangladesh – NASA Visiting Fellow Program
Bangladesh / July 2016
The SilvaCarbon-Bangladesh program is supporting a remote sensing specialist from Bangladesh to conduct research on the country’s mangroves alongside NASA scientists for 10 weeks at the NASA Goddard facility in Maryland. The objectives of the Visiting Fellow program are to build Bangladesh’s national capacity in remote sensing and GIS technology, generate data for Bangladesh’s national forest monitoring system, and provide insight and expertise on Bangladesh to NASA colleagues. The Visiting Fellow will be based at NASA through September 2016 and will finish the program with a presentation and a report on the outcome of the research. Contact: Elise deRiel, elisederiel@fs.fed.us.
Bangladesh – Design support for national forest inventory
Bangladesh / July 2016
USFS expertise continues to contribute to the development and finalization of the Bangladesh national forest inventory design and plot selection, in close collaboration with FAO. Contact: Elise deRiel, elisederiel@fs.fed.us.
Regional Partner Activity – SERVIR-Mekong Regional Land Cover Monitoring System workshop
Bangkok, Thailand / July 7-13, 2016
SERVIR-Mekong organized the second workshop under its Regional Land Cover Monitoring System initiative for the Mekong region, which convened the algorithm development and reference data teams to discuss key functions and the structure of the system, including information sharing arrangements. Selected participants joined an introductory training on Google Earth Engine, which will be used in the development of the system. The USFS Remote Sensing Applications Center (RSAC) is providing technical support to the initiative. Contact: Marija Kono (SilvaCarbon), mkono.silvacarbon@gmail.com; David Ganz (SERVIR-Mekong), david.ganz@adpc.net.
Nepal – LiDAR training for improved biomass estimates
Kathmandu, Nepal / July 18-22, 2016
In consultation with Nepal’s Department of Forest Research and Survey (DFRS), SilvaCarbon identified the need to provide technical support to DFRS to build its capacity to use existing LiDAR data, and upscale to satellite data, in order to generate national-level biomass maps. The first training session under this one-year work program took place in July and served to clarify expectations and the envisioned workflow. The training opened with an introduction to LiDAR remote sensing technology for a large group of DFRS officers. The rest of the week focused on hands-on training in LiDAR data processing and analysis for ten GIS and remote sensing technicians. The training reviewed the available data sets for Nepal and successfully laid out the basis for next steps. It is anticipated that DFRS staff will be able to work independently to process, analyze, and use the data with technical backstopping from USFS and the Woods Hole Research Center. The final biomass maps that will result from the work will be prepared and shared with a wide range of stakeholders in Nepal and regionally. Contact: Marija Kono, mkono.silvacarbon@gmail.com.
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Participants in the first SilvaCarbon-supported LiDAR training session in Nepal. Photo credit: Shiva Khanal.
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Lao PDR – REDDCompass and BEEODA training
Vientiane, Lao PDR / August 8-12, 2016
A week-long training session for technicians in Lao PDR focused on increasing understanding and application of two key tools for forest monitoring: the recently launched REDDCompass web-based application and the BEEODA suite of open-source software and educational materials. The training was organized in collaboration with the Lao PDR Forest Department and World Bank FCPF under the GFOI umbrella with support from the Australian government. Contact: Sylvia Wilson, snwilson@usgs.gov.
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Laotian technical staff received hands-on training in key forest monitoring tools. Photo credit: Sylvia Wilson.
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Central Africa
Republic of Congo – Wetland inventory support
Brazzaville, Republic of Congo / September 2016
SilvaCarbon is providing ongoing technical support to Congo’s National Forest Inventory Agency (CNIAF) in developing a methodology for an inventory of its national wetland forests. The next step in this work is field-based practicum for an agency inventory team facilitated by USFS expert Matthew Warren. Necessary data and information will be generated from this mission to finalize the Wetland Amendment to the current field manual used by CNIAF. Contact: Alex Neidermeier, anneidermeier@fs.fed.us.
Latin America
Regional – Forest degradation workshop series
Honduras and Mexico / June - August 2016
The SilvaCarbon Central America program is co-organizing a two-part regional workshop series on forest degradation together with FAO and the Tropical Agricultural Research and Higher Education Center (CATIE). The first workshop was held in June in Honduras and focused on defining degradation. The second workshop is taking place in Mexico in late August and is focusing on approaches for measuring and reporting degradation. Additional information about the workshop series will be provided in the next issue of SilvaCarbon Spotlight. Contact: Rachel Sheridan, rachelsheridan@fs.fed.us.
South and Southeast Asia
Bangladesh – Training for QA/QCs and field crew trainers
Bangladesh / October 2016
SilvaCarbon-Bangladesh is facilitating USFS expertise for an intensive training-of-trainers for Bangladesh Forest Department staff and others who will be responsible for training field crews prior to the start of field work for Bangladesh’s National Forest Inventory. The activity will build on an earlier SilvaCarbon-supported training course on QA/QC, and will serve as a refresher to support the participants' role in ensuring data quality and integrity throughout the inventory process. The training will be conducted in partnership with FAO and the Bangladesh Forest Department. Contact: Elise deRiel, elisederiel@fs.fed.us.
Global Program
SilvaCarbon research workshop
Washington, DC / September 28-29, 2016
The SilvaCarbon Global Program is planning a workshop in Washington, DC to present and review findings from eleven SilvaCarbon research grants funded in 2013 and 2014. The event will bring together the community of researchers, international cooperation agencies, and practitioners engaged in forest and carbon monitoring in SilvaCarbon partner countries. The workshop aims to inform potential future research needed to strengthen the use of remote sensing, ground-based, and integrated approaches for producing forest and terrestrial carbon estimates, and will result in an action plan for improving the underlying science of national forest monitoring in REDD+ countries. Contact: Sasha Gottlieb, sbgottlieb@fs.fed.us.
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SWAMP Initiative – Global Wetlands Map
The Sustainable Wetlands Adaptation and Mitigation Program (SWAMP), a SilvaCarbon partner program, launched its recently developed global wetlands map at the 15th International Peat Congress in Malaysia. A press release and web link to the map is available at: http://www.cifor.org/press-releases/interactive-wetlands-map-contribute-action-climate-change/.
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About SilvaCarbon
SilvaCarbon is a multi-agency technical cooperation program of the US Government to build capacity worldwide in measuring, monitoring, and reporting forest and terrestrial carbon. SilvaCarbon agencies include the US Agency for International Development (USAID), US Department of State, US Forest Service (USFS), US Geological Survey (USGS), US Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA), National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and Smithsonian Institution. Funding for SilvaCarbon is provided by the USAID Sustainable Landscapes Program, the US Department of State Office of Global Change, and USAID Missions in participating countries. Program implementation is led by USFS, USGS, US EPA, and NASA.
SilvaCarbon is a US contribution to the Global Forest Observations Initiative (GFOI), a body of the intergovernmental Group on Earth Observations (GEO). SilvaCarbon co-leads the GFOI capacity-building component together with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).
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