Geo-Enabling Local Communities in Brazil 2009 ESRI European User Conference Vilnius, Lithuania 14–16 October 2009 Steven Eglinton

Agenda My involvement with GIS The Atlantic Rainforest and Iracambi Maps and GIS at Iracambi Future of GIS at Iracambi Conclusions

My involvement with GIS

The Atlantic Rainforest and Iracambi

Maps and GIS at Iracambi

Future of GIS at Iracambi

Conclusions

Introduction Steven Eglinton Corporate Geographic Information Manager Tube Lines (The London Underground), London, UK Geospatial Consultant GeoEnable, London, UK Iracambi GIS - International Advisory Committee Iracambi Conservation Centre, MG, Brazil

Steven Eglinton

Corporate Geographic Information Manager

Tube Lines (The London Underground), London, UK

Geospatial Consultant

GeoEnable, London, UK

Iracambi GIS - International Advisory Committee

Iracambi Conservation Centre, MG, Brazil

What is Iracambi? Iracambi Atlantic Rainforest Research and Conservation Centre www.iracambi.com

Iracambi Atlantic Rainforest Research

and

Conservation Centre

www.iracambi.com

Iracambi, Minas Gerais, Brazil

Iracambi’s Aims 1) To make the conservation of the Atlantic Rainforest more appealing than its destruction 2) To research, develop and support sustainable sources of income 3) To inventory, monitor and promote endangered species in the forest 4) To act as a hub for the community

1) To make the conservation of the Atlantic Rainforest more appealing than its destruction

2) To research, develop and support sustainable sources of income

3) To inventory, monitor and promote endangered species in the forest

4) To act as a hub for the community

Iracambi work streams The four main areas of activity are: forest restoration / forest corridors environmental education community outreach the search for alternative income sources, focusing on the medicinal plants native to the forests GIS and land management

The four main areas of activity are:

forest restoration / forest corridors

environmental education

community outreach

the search for alternative income sources, focusing on the medicinal plants native to the forests

GIS and land management

Changes to the Atlantic Rainforest

Who we shared the forest with…

Slow start with occasional specialists GPS surveys over-laid with 1:50k map Quickly demand was great Boost with long-term management Main issues are always with - information management and continuity Cartography, GIS and Survey at Iracambi

Slow start with occasional specialists

GPS surveys over-laid with 1:50k map

Quickly demand was great

Boost with long-term management

Main issues are always with - information management and continuity

CBERS - China-Brazil Earth Resources Satellite Volunteers Researchers Directors Community Geospatial Information Flow Brazil, UK, USA

Early Efforts (2001) – Topographic and Thematic

Better? Thematic Mapping ArcView 3.x / ArcGIS

Community Mapping – Land Use

Land Use (2004)

Mining Threat In November 2003 it was discovered by chance that an international mining company was seeking a licence to mine bauxite in Serra das Aranhas, on Iracambi’s western boundary. GIS has been instrumental in monitoring this activity For the first time we could show how mining activity could affect land and local communities Show activities in relationship to designated areas

In November 2003 it was discovered by chance that an international mining company was seeking a licence to mine bauxite in Serra das Aranhas, on Iracambi’s western boundary.

GIS has been instrumental in monitoring this activity

For the first time we could show how mining activity could affect land and local communities

Show activities in relationship to designated areas

Mining in the State Park and APAs (2005) Scan official environmental designation maps Survey other designations Geo-reference Add other reference layers Add homes and settlements Research and create mining areas Publish for consultation Use maps in legal cases Won actions against mining company Document and teach others Now – Published via Web map

Scan official environmental designation maps

Survey other designations

Geo-reference

Add other reference layers

Add homes and settlements

Research and create mining areas

Publish for consultation

Use maps in legal cases

Won actions against mining company

Document and teach others

Now – Published via Web map

In the meeting, two important declarations were made by Government: firstly, that they will require the mining company to seek the approval of the State Park authorities for all mining undertakings within the Park buffer zone and, secondly, the Park Authority stated that it would not give such approval without the agreement of the State Park council, on which representatives of the local communities and other concerned bodies (including Iracambi). This is a major step forward in recognising the necessity of more serious discussion of the protection of the areas biodiversity . Outcomes of Legal Actions Using Mapped Evidence:

Other uses Locations of medicinal plants Optimal growth zones 3D models Catchments area calculations Species monitoring Change detection of vegetation Illustration of proximity of environmental designations

Locations of medicinal plants

Optimal growth zones

3D models

Catchments area calculations

Species monitoring

Change detection of vegetation

Illustration of proximity of environmental designations

Horse-back Surveys Garmin GPS 12 Dictation Machine ESRI ArcGIS desktop Free app to convert from GPS unit to GIS software Horse!

Garmin GPS 12

Dictation Machine

ESRI ArcGIS desktop

Free app to convert from GPS unit to GIS software

Horse!

Was a great opportunity to meet with local communities

Land Surveys All with regular GPS – accuracy +/- 5m - (when we had a signal!) Walking/Hiking Horseback Lessons Learnt 1) Land constantly changing 2) Area too large to cover 3) Terrain 4) Seasonality 5) Skill sets required – gathering & Processing

All with regular GPS – accuracy +/- 5m

- (when we had a signal!)

Walking/Hiking

Horseback

Lessons Learnt

1) Land constantly changing

2) Area too large to cover

3) Terrain

4) Seasonality

5) Skill sets required – gathering & Processing

Aerial Imagery / Satellite Imagery (2005) Aerial Imagery (2004) CBERS (2005) IKONOS images (Aug 2009)

Aerial Imagery

(2004)

CBERS

(2005)

IKONOS images

(Aug 2009)

GeoWeb: Iracambi Web Map Addition of KML files on main site (2008) Web Map Requirements Gathering (2008) Pilot Web Map launched (late 2008) Further requirements and Development (2009) Work in progress (present - ongoing) Participatory / Collaborative tool Main Information Portal WEB SITE: www.geoenabling.com

Addition of KML files on main site (2008)

Web Map Requirements Gathering (2008)

Pilot Web Map launched (late 2008)

Further requirements and Development (2009)

Work in progress (present - ongoing)

Participatory / Collaborative tool

Main Information Portal

WEB SITE: www.geoenabling.com

CBERS - China-Brazil Earth Resources Satellite Volunteers Researches Directors Community Web Map Iracambi Web Map - current Brazil, UK, USA

Identify and challenge previously convert mining activities :

Links to more Info:

GeoWeb

Recent Visitors

Thoughts of the Future Web GIS offers a great delivery and participatory opportunity GIS is simply a tool – we need to focus on its practical application in more varied ways Education on quality metadata and IM must be the focus Clear and meaningful maps will always take an effort Skilled individuals at some point will have to set rules, configure, quality control, evaluate product/services Paper is still very useful in some environments! Iracambi Web Map - We have .shp to .kml now Iracambi Web Services published via ArcGIS Server

Web GIS offers a great delivery and participatory opportunity

GIS is simply a tool – we need to focus on its practical application in more varied ways

Education on quality metadata and IM must be the focus

Clear and meaningful maps will always take an effort

Skilled individuals at some point will have to set rules, configure, quality control, evaluate product/services

Paper is still very useful in some environments!

Iracambi Web Map - We have .shp to .kml now

Iracambi Web Services published via ArcGIS Server

Thank You for your attention Web Map: www.geoenabling.com Email: Steven@GeoEnable.com Video: Iracambi – Doing Our Part

Web Map: www.geoenabling.com

Email: Steven@GeoEnable.com

Video: Iracambi – Doing Our Part

Iracambi – Doing Our Part