GEO Forest Observation Community of Practice: Identifying Critical Earth Observations Michael Brady, Canadian Forest Service/GOFC-GOLD GEO User Interface.

GEO Forest ObservationCommunity of Practice:

Identifying Critical Earth Observations

Michael Brady, Canadian Forest Service/GOFC-GOLDGEO User Interface Committee 13th Meeting15-16 November 2009, Washington

All GEOSS societal benefits areas include land and forest observations

ClimateLand change & GHG

emis.Water+energy

exchanges

ClimateLand change & GHG

emis.Water+energy

exchanges

WeatherLand–surface climate

int.Vegetation

characteristics

WeatherLand–surface climate

int.Vegetation

characteristics

HealthLand change / disease

vectors / boundary cond.

HealthLand change / disease

vectors / boundary cond.

DisastersFire monitoring

Land degradation assess.

DisastersFire monitoring

Land degradation assess.

AgricultureCultivation

pattern+forestryLand degradations

AgricultureCultivation

pattern+forestryLand degradations

EcosystemsChange environment

cond.Services + accounting

EcosystemsChange environment

cond.Services + accounting

EnergyBio-energy/biomassWind/hydro power

assess.

EnergyBio-energy/biomassWind/hydro power

assess.

WaterWater resources /

qualityLand+water use

pattern

WaterWater resources /

qualityLand+water use

pattern

BiodiversityEcosystem

characteristics Habitats +

fragmentation

BiodiversityEcosystem

characteristics Habitats +

fragmentation

The GEOSS for forests is incomplete

• Combining remote and in situ / NFI type observations is under utilised

• Engage user communities and networks not yet involved in GEO and earth observation

• Lack of co-ordinated long term observation plans

• Earth observation challenges

8 Main forest tasks

1. Forest Mapping and Change Monitoring2. Global Land Cover3. Virtual Constellations-Land Surface Imaging sub

task4. Implementation of a Fire Warning System at

Global Level5. Key Terrestrial Observations for Climate6. Regional Networks for Ecosystems7. Communities of Practice8. Forest Carbon Tracking (new)

GEO Community of Practice for Forest Observations US-06-02

1. Provide a forum for communication and coordination of the teams involved in the GEO work plan tasks related to forest observations

2. Identify, gather, and seek agreement on user community requirements for forest observations, their present status and gaps to be filled

3. Advise the User Interface Committee, other CoPs and GEO on matters relating to forest observations and related societal benefits, and on cross-cutting issues of interest

4. Support the forest observation community with information about activities and plans in the GEO process

Role of Global Observing Systems: GTOS/GOFC-GOLD

• Global Observation for Forest and Land Cover Dynamics is a coordinated international effort to ensure a continuous program of space-based and on-the-ground forest and land cover observations

• A network of participants implementing coordinated research, demonstration and operational projects

• A vision to share data, information and knowledge, leading to informed action and decision support

• A long term process of building an improved match between Observations, Data Products and User Needs

• A science panel of the Global Terrestrial Observing System

• A strong contributor to the GEO forest-related tasks and mechanisms

Forest Observation User Communities

(1) Global Change Science (2) Timber, Fuel and Fiber (incl. agro forestry) (3) Watershed Protection (4) Biodiversity and Conservation (5) FCCC and other Environmental Agreements (6) Recreation and Tourism (7) Sustainable Forest Management (8) Forest Perturbations and Protection (fire, insects, disease)

Current & future states of critical forest observation priorities

Critical Observations

33rd International Symposium on Remote Sensing of Environment, TS-5-34-8 May 2009, Stresa, Italy

Continuing the process of identifying critical observations

Forest Carbon Tracking CL-09-03b A New GEO sub-Task in 2009-2011 WP

Demonstrate to climate negotiators that coordinated Earth Observations can provide the basis for reliable information services of suitable consistency, accuracy and continuity to support Forest Carbon Tracking, leading to eventual establishment of a network of national forest carbon monitoring systems

Leads: • Australia (Department of Climate Change & CSIRO)• Japan (JAXA)• Norway (NSC)• Canada (NRCan, CSA)• CEOS (NSC, CSIRO, JAXA, ESA)• FAO• GTOS (GOFC-GOLD)• EC JRC

Next Steps

• Consolidate participation in Forest CoP amongst 8 forest tasks

• Encourage registration of forest data and EO systems

• Consolidate GEO FCoP web page

• Continue with UIC process and reporting; collaborate with Agriculture Monitoring CoP to fully address Agriculture SBA

Recent and upcoming forest events

• GEOSS in the Americas Symposium, Panama, Sep 08

• GOFC-GOLD Land Cover Symposium, Germany, Oct 08

• 1st GEO Forest Symposium, Brazil, Nov 08

• Task meetings at CEOS SIT-23, USA, Feb 09

• Task workshop, Australia, Mar 09

• Forest workshop & papers at ISRSE, Italy, May 09

• Task contributions at UNFCCC SBSTA, Germany, Jun 09

• GOFC-GOLD Biomass Workshop, USA, Jun 09

• 2nd GEO Forest Symposium, Thailand, Jul 09

• Meetings with Princes’ Rainforest Project & Google, UK, Oct 09

• GEO Plenary, USA, Nov 09

• UNFCCC CoP, Denmark, Dec 09

• Forest Carbon Tracking Data Summit, Apr 10

Thank you,Questions?

GEO Forest Community of Practice

Point of contact:Michael Brady, Canadian Forest Service [email protected]