Researchers train on Remote Sensing for Biodiversity Conservation

A three-day training workshop has opened for some selected postgraduate students of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) to acquaint themselves with remote sensing technologies in addressing the increasing biodiversity losses.

The training is being organised by the West African Science Service Center on Climate Change and Adapted Land Use (WASCAL) at the KNUST in collaboration with the Earth Observation Capacity Building for Africa (EOCap4Africa) Project.

It is designed to equip the students with both technical knowledge and practical skills in electromagnetic radiation, atmospheric and surface interaction.

Again, the researchers will be exposed to potential challenges of spatial data, forest ecosystems and remote sensing, image classification and change detection, creating scientific maps, among others.

The German Federal Agency for Nature Conservation (BfN) and the German Environment Ministry (BMUV) funded the training through the EOCap4Africa Project.

Professor Kwaku Amaning Adjei, Dean, Faculty of Civil and Geo-Engineering, at the KNUST, highlighting the significance of the training, said biodiversity loss was occurring globally with negative impacts on ecosystem function and human well-being of which Ghana was no exception.

He said: “Our forests, wetlands, savannahs, and coastlines are home to an extraordinary diversity of life.

“Yet, these ecosystems and their services face threats from illegal mining, climate change, and urban expansion.

He indicated that, remote sensing offered a powerful lens through which one could observe, understand, and protect ecosystems, adding that, from satellite imagery to UAVs, these technologies allowed for monitoring changes in land cover, track species habitats, and assess water quality.

Prof Amaning Adjei said especially in our part of the world where data was scarce but several remotely sensed data made available through European Space Agency (ESA), NASSA and others were helping to bridge the gap.

Dr Insa Otte, Project Coordinator, EOCap4Africa, citing scientists’ estimation of losing species at a rate at least 100 times faster than the natural background rate, called for remote sensing to track wildlife and monitor wetlands and coastal areas.

She believed that exposing conservationists, policymakers and innovators to these technologies would not only contribute to global science but also shape the future of our own communities and country.

“This is not about importing solutions from outside.

It is about creating solutions here in Africa, that are relevant, effective and rooted in local realities – while also contributing to the global effort of conserving life on earth,” Dr Otte envisioned.

Prof Wilson Agyei Agyare, Director of WASCAL, said the workshop had become crucial considering the countless challenges in managing natural resources.

Remote sensing data, he believed, was the best approach to addressing biodiversity conservation challenges, and called for expansion of knowledge to enable more professionals to manage natural resources effectively.

Source: GNA