GIS critical for preserving biodiversity, protecting native flora and fauna
More than a dozen conservation trusts nationwide are now able to use Esri’s ArcGIS to help them preserve / restore native habitats, manage their conservation efforts and interact with their communities of interest, thanks to the Esri Conservation Grant Programme and Eagle Technology. The programme, which provides ArcGIS software, training and documentation to registered charitable trusts for a nominal cost, empowers conservation trusts to work smarter, faster and with more precision.
Eradicating invasive plants
The Motutapu Restoration Trust, a volunteer organisation formed to restore and interpret Motutapu’s natural, cultural and historic values, has benefited from the programme. Located in Auckland’s Hauraki Gulf, Motutapu Island has a number of areas which have been infested with invasive exotic plants. Worst on the list is the moth plant (Araujia sericifera). The Trust is using ArcGIS to help combat this scourge.
“We are using the maps we create from ArcGIS to improve the efficiency of our weed control programme,” says Belinda Vernon, Volunteer Coordinator, Motutapu Restoration Trust. “With ArcGIS, we can monitor moth plant infestations, record where the outbreaks occur, when they are dealt with and monitor any recurrence of the weed after initial removal. As a volunteer organisation, we need to ensure that our limited resources are well-targeted. The Esri Conservation Grant Programme has given us the tools to do this. Having these ArcGIS maps has made a huge difference and we can now see ‘the light at the end of the tunnel’ in eradicating this noxious weed from the island.”
Eagle Technology sponsorship
“There are more than a dozen conservation organisations around New Zealand that have taken advantage of the Esri Conservation Grant Programme,” says Parker Jones, Programme Coordinator for Eagle Technology. “Few of them have the resources to invest in GIS technology or specialised training. This programme provides advanced capabilities to help them protect our endangered native flora and fauna. We are impressed with the levels of dedication that the volunteers put into these organisations and are very pleased to be able to contribute what we can to the cause.”
The Esri programme has the potential to make a major impact for protecting our natural resources. “We’re just scratching the surface with the way that conservation organisations can take advantage of the benefits of GIS,” continues Jones. “For instance, organisations can exchange ArcGIS data with agencies such as DOC (Department of Conservation), Landcare, NIWA (National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research) and the many local and regional councils that are also users of Esri’s ArcGIS software. Plus there is plenty of opportunity for exchanges of ideas and applications amongst the conservation organisations themselves. One of the issues is time…most of these organisations are driven by volunteers… so we are trying to make everything as easy as possible for the grant recipients.”
Any registered charitable organisation with a conservation mandate is eligible for the Esri grants. “The application form is fairly detailed,” explains Jones, “but we have never refused an eligible organisation that takes the time to complete the application. In fact, we will even cover the $100 application fee for particularly cash-strapped groups. Our goal is to assist conservation volunteers and non-profit organisations to accomplish their goals using smart geospatial tools.”
Spatial analysis for predator control
Award-winning eco-attraction ZEALANDIA is making use of their ArcGIS software to help them manage their predator control operations, specifically mouse bait and predator trap lines. “We have 2300 bait stations and three years of bait-take data per station,” says Bernard Smith, Biosecurity Officer at ZEALANDIA. “Right now we are finalising mouse bait line maps from this data. Once we can spatially enable these data, we will then be able to identify areas of consistently high take and what factors determine these areas – aspect, vegetation, etc. We'll then be able to fine-tune our mouse control infrastructure by determining where our efforts are best placed in upgrading and extending these lines. In the longer term, we hope to be able to do more detailed analyses of habitat preferences through more detailed habit at survey through the valley.
“The Esri Grant Programme has given us access to software capabilities that would otherwise be out of our reach,” continues Smith. “A major benefit for us is to be able to prepare accurate maps by virtue of the software and the increasing availability of spatial data, especially from LINZ, Wellington City Council and an increasing number of agencies using portals such as Koordinates. Many of the maps produced using ArcGIS can be used in our education and outreach programmes as well, keeping it fresh for the next generation of conservation workers!”
Community outreach
The knowledge and expertise that is generated from the Esri Conservation Grant Programme and ArcGIS is increasingly being used to educate the public to the importance of conservation. “We are able to offer assistance to community groups that we work with in making maps, analysing spatial data and presenting this information in useful ways,” says Vince Kerr of the Mountains to Sea Conservation Trust, a trust set up to increase awareness and understanding of freshwater and marine ecology and to restore catchments and create marine protected areas. “The capabilities of ArcGIS will be the core of our efforts. Currently we are in the process of building our data resources and developing habitat maps.”
Other organisations participating in the programme include Royal Forest and Bird Protection Society, Fish and Game Council (12 regions), Nga Uruora Kapiti, and Brook Sanctuary Trust.
Benefits for Conservation Trusts
- Helps volunteer organisations maximise resources, streamline operations and focus on their conservation initiatives
- Provides Esri’s ArcGIS software, formal classroom training and documentation to qualified organisations for a nominal or no cost
- Encourages the exchange of spatial data and applications with other conservation trusts, local and regional agencies, utilities and central government, many of whom use Esri’s ArcGIS software
- Enables organisations to embrace GIS for community outreach and education initiatives.
How to Apply for a Esri Conservation Grant
- Contact Parker Jones in the first instance
- Conservation organisations must be registered as a charity in NZ and have the requisite hardware to run ArcGIS (typically a fast PC)
- The next step is to prepare a detailed application form with mission statements, budgetary information and specifics on how they will use ArcGIS to achieve their goals
- It is recommended that organisations coordinate their activities with local or regional ArcGIS users for advice, data and informal mentoring.
Quote:
“We have never refused an eligible organisation that takes the time to complete the application. In fact, we will even cover the $100 application fee for particularly cash-strapped groups. Our goal is to assist conservation volunteers and non-profit organisations to accomplish their goals using smart geospatial tools.”
Parker Jones, Programme Coordinator for Eagle Technology
