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Project GlobWetland Follow up

The GlobWetland project is conceived as a user-oriented project, where the final Information Service should provide a clear response to specific user needs. Therefore, the project is built up around the information requirements provided by a User Group made up of the National Authorities responsible for the implementation of the Ramsar Convention in several countries worldwide. This set of information needs represents the core of the project and the basis for the development of the GlobWetland Information Service, which should be implemented, validated and assessed for a representative set of wetland areas (mainly Ramsar Sites) proposed by the members of the User Group in their respective countries.

The Project implementation team is composed of Vexcel (Canada), Wetlands International (Netherlands), Synoptics (Netherlands), and Remote Sensing Solutions GmbH (Germany). The team will work collaboratively with the end user community, starting with the User Requirements Documentation (URD) that was provided to ESA in preparing the project. Phase 1 of the project will focus on the design and prototyping of information products developed in response to the user needs. Following a critical review of the outcomes of Phase 1, Phase 2 will be implemented whereby operational products will be delivered for 50 wetland sites.

The GlobWetland Project is implemented in response to a need expressed by the end users, wetland management organizations from around the world. Through its Data User Element Programme, ESA has secured working relationships with over 17 national focal points to help implement this project.

The contribution of the national focal points in implementing the project is crucial, since the Project Teams ability to properly describe derive information products well suited to the needs expressed, close interaction must occur in order to help understand how features are represented in earth observation imagery collected hundreds of kilometers above the earths surface. These organizations will contribute their time and resources to help provide supporting ground and contextual data describing the wetlands sites being analyzed, and collaborate with the project team to arrive at a suitable set of operational information products for improved management of wetlands.

The Ramsar Convention on Wetlands stresses that targeted assessment and monitoring information is vital for ensuring effective management planning for wetlands, their hydrology, and their catchments. The operational use of Earth Observation Technology can help wetland managers to achieve these objectives, and as such, the Ramsar Secretariat is very supportive of this project. It has played a key role in the design of the project, working closely with the European Space Agency's Data User Element to secure the support from a wide variety of signatory countries t actively participate in the project.

 

Project number n/a
Subject(s) HYDRAULICS - HYDROLOGY , INFORMATION - COMPUTER SCIENCES , MEASUREMENTS AND INSTRUMENTATION , METHTODOLOGY - STATISTICS - DECISION AID , NATURAL MEDIUM , PREVENTION AND NUISANCES POLLUTION , RISKS AND CLIMATOLOGY
Acronym GlobWetland
Geographical coverage Canada, Netherlands, Germany, Algeria, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Egypt, Kenya, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa, France, Austria, Finland, Greece, Italy, Portugal, Spain, Switzerland, Ecuador, Russian Federation
Budget (in €) 1000000
Programme ESA
Web site http://www.globwetland.org/
Objectives The GlobWetland Project, funded through the European Space Agency's Data User Element (DUE), aims at developing demonstration products based on earth observation to improve the ability of wetland managers to better monitor and assess the condition of wetlands within their respective countries.

Earth observation's potential to provide products and services for Ramsar convention priorities was successfully demonstrated through the Treaty Enforcement Services using Earth Observation (TESEO) program in 2001 / 2002. GlobWetland is designed to expand on the successes of TESEO and is focused on end-user requirements from 17 national focal points around the globe.
Results

Globwetland project is producing satellite-derived and geo-referenced products including inventory maps and digital elevation models of wetlands and the surrounding catchment areas. These products will aid local and national authorities in fulfilling their Ramsar obligations, and should also function as a helpful tool for wetland managers and scientific researchers. 

Globwetland Information Products Description

GlobWetland Information Products Description

Information Products

Those wishing to see a demonstration of the web mapper (which will eventually display example products for each site) can see where the GlobWetland sites are by pressing the image below.

web mapper

Phase 1 Case Studies

Those wishing to see a demonstration of the products available to end user can access sample products by pressing the image below.

Phase 1 Case Studies

Creston Valley Case Study Page 1
Creston Valley Case Study Page 2

Period 01/01/2009

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