Proposal for a GEO Community of Practice for Forest Observations Michael Brady, Canada Göran Boberg and Hakan Olsson, Sweden Martin Herold and Christiane.

Proposal for a GEO Community of Practice for

Forest Observations

Michael Brady, Canada

Göran Boberg and Hakan Olsson, Sweden

Martin Herold and Christiane Schmullius, GOFC-GOLD

GEO II, User Interface Committee Meeting

16 December, Geneva

Objectives

1. Create a community of practice with broad representation of producers and users of forest data and information

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

3. Promote consensus-building among producers and users about the highest priority forest observation needs

4. Cooperate in activities with existing forest observation initiatives where GEOSS can add value (e.g., IGOL, FAO-FRA, etc.)

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

6. Facilitate outreach in support of the above objectives

Justification• Combining remote sensing and in situ observations

is under utilised

• Lack of co-ordinated long term observation plans

• Need to improve joint remote sensing and in situ inventory methods to estimate global forest estimates

•Earth observation challenges: varying user requirements observation continuity (satellite, in situ)

move from research to operations harmonization of forest information data access issues (regional/national data sets, in situ) capacity building and outreach

Heterogeneity of forest estimates in global land cover maps

Forest definitions:IGBP legend : percent tree cover >60% / tree height >2m GLC2000 legend : percent tree cover >15% / tree height >3m

Credit: M. Herold / GOFC-GOLD

Forest observations and GEO

• Forests are a key terrestrial ecosystem and habitat

• GEOSS reference plan: land cover and forests are important for all

areas of societal benefit

terrestrial observation domain least developed

• Forests and the environmental conventions: carbon and water cycle

response to climate change

continued deforestation and forest degradation

biodiversity

Hot spots of deforestation 1980-2000

Source: Lepers, E., E.F. Lambin, A.C. Janetos, R. DeFries, F. Achard, N. Ramankutty and R.J. Scholes (2005). A synthesis of information on rapid land-cover change for the period 1981-2000. BioScience, 55 (2), 115-124

Membership• User-led community of stakeholders:

open access, voluntary, best efforts based

• To include producers, developers and users of forest observations and observation systems

• Representatives from GEO member statesSweden, Canada, …

• Participating international organizationsCEOS, UN FAO – FRA, GTOS/GOFC-GOLD, …

• Other stakeholders with similar interestsNFI, GSE Forest Monitoring, …

• Developing and developed countries represented

Working Methods

• Following existing community of practice guidance materials and experiences

• Recruit CoP members

• Link to GEO 2006 work plan targets

• Address forest observations for societal benefits in:

AGRICULTURE: forestry and resources

DISASTERS: loss due to forest fires

CLIMATE: deforestation and carbon cycle

ECOSYSTEMS: services and functioning

BIODIVERISTY: conservation of habitats

CAPACITY BUILDING: local - global communities

… others …

Plan of Activities

Identify user requirements:consistency and continuity of observations integrating in-situ and local to global scale

information international data dissemination (similar to

national-level practices)user involvement: from observations to

applicationsAdapting to emerging approaches and technologies

Establish links to related user survey activities anticipated in the GEO 2006 work plan: AG-06-01: Survey of user needs for agriculture,

rangelands, forestry and fisheries (FAO)

EC-06-05: Survey the research community involved in in-situ observations and modeling for new platform and sensor needs, or for suggestions for better use of existing systems (IGBP)

BI-06-02: Conduct a series of workshops and meetings to define the needs and requirements of the biodiversity information users sector (DIVERSITAS, GBIF, UNESCO, GTOS, GEO Members)

Plan of Activities

Schedule

• Nov. 2005: Expression of interest• Dec. 2005: Presentation at the GEO II User

Interface committee meeting• March 2006: Draft terms of reference

Objectives and frameworkDefine and contact CoP member organizations

• Summer 2006: Forest CoP initiation workshopFinalize terms of reference and plan of activitiesCoP chair/co-chair and coordinating office

Fourth quarter 2006: Forest CoP establishedReport to User Interface Committee in Dec. 2006

Thank you - Questions?

Point of contact:Martin Herold, ESA GOFC-GOLD Land Cover

Office ([email protected])

Forest Observations

• Cover• Density (crown closure)• LAI, FPAR• Biophysical processes (NPP, fire)• Vegetation type• Biomass• Species• Disturbance, natural/anthropogenic• Inundation• Regeneration• Stand structure• Basal area/volume• Age class• Tree measurements (age, DBH, ht, etc)• Forest floor and belowground biomass

Variety of remote and in situ observations: