Outline

• Project Overview• Available Data• Image Pre-processing and challenges– Data Accuracy

• Forest Stratifications– VANRIS – New Vegetation Map (2011)– Current Forest Cover Map (2013)

• Pending Activities

Project Overview

SPC/GIZ Climate Protection through Forest Conservation in Pacific Island Countries Project >>Overall Objective: The conservation of forest ecosystems in the Pacific Island Countries is supported in order to mitigate climate change and preserve biodiversity.

Vanuatu to start implement it’s Readiness Preparation Proposal (R-PP)

>> SPC/GIZ – development of system for MRV carbon level and REL >> FCPF of World Bank – policy process

Pilot national REDD+ mechanism on Santo Island

PILOT ISLANDSThe islands of Vanuatu are located approx. 2,200km east of Australia and comprises of 82 islands. The program is focusing on 4 pilot islands:

1. Santo2. Malekula3. Efate4. Erromango

PILOT ISLANDS

Available Data

Acquired by GIZ from Digital Globe

ALOS PalsarL-Band radar dual-pol FBD

25m Wall-to-Wall2007, 2008, 2009, 2010

Acquired by GIZ under the ALOS Science Program Phase 3

World View 2Multispectral

optical2m 11 Scenes 2012

Corresponding Mapping Product and Remarks

Sensor TypeSpatial

ResolutionSpatial

Coverage Temporal Coverage

Vanuatu Department of Lands and Survey: Topographic Map of Vanuatu

NEXTMap TopoSAR ORI

Orthorectified radar image

1.25m Wall-to-Wall 2003

• 11 Scenes total• 8 Band Bundle Data

Multispectral: 1.84 m Panchromatic: 0.46 m

• Level 2A Ortho Ready Standard Imagery• Radiometrically

corrected• Sensor corrected• Projected to a

constant elevation• No terrain correction

WORLDVIEW-2 IMAGE DATA

• 5 m Resolution• By-product of Ortho-

rectified Radar Image (ORI) product.

• Used to derive the Coastline of Espiritu Santo

• The product was assumed to be produced by InterMap Solutions

Digital Surface Model (DSM)

Image pre-processingOrtho-correction process:

Normal Ortho-rectification with 5m DSM still vertical shifts were visible

Application of Geoid

Two Mapping Activities (Espiritu Santo):

1) Radar-based Deforestation Analysis (Jorg Seifert Granzin: Mesa Consultant [MRV])– Carbon density map for 5 generic forest

strata (medium height forest [open/closed], low forest [open/closed], mangroves)

2) Forest Cover map using VHR Imagery– Currently mapped using Object-Oriented

Classification (Imagine Objective)• Dense Forest, Semi-Dense Forest, Scattered

Forest, Mangrove, Coconut Palm

Forest StratificationForest Definition:“Minimum area of land of 0.81 hectare with tree crown cover (or equivalent stocking level) of more than 10 percent with trees with the potential to reach a minimum height of 3 meters at maturity in situ.“

Two Stratification Systems:1) Vanuatu Resource Information Systems [VANRIS]

(Bellamy 1993)2) New Vegetation Strata which builds on VANRIS

(Schweter 2011)

1. VANRIS (Bellamy 1993)

1. VANRIS (Bellamy 1993)

2. New Vegetation Map (Schweter 2011)

Current Forest Mapping Activities @ SOPAC

Overview of Processing Chain

Land Cover Map(Imagine

Objective)

Produce Forest Mask

(Spatial Modeler)

Forest Classification

(Stratified to 3 different densities)

Area Calculation(Access

Database)

Image Data(WV-2)

IMAGINE Objective Process Flow Chart

VectorObjects(training)

VectorObjects

(candidates)

Train Query

Object Cue Metrics

ObjectInferenceEngine

Raster ObjectTo

Raster ObjectOperator

PixelProbability

Laye

RasterObjectLayer

VectorObjectLayer

RasterObjectLayer

Raster ObjectTo

Vector ObjectOperator

Vector ObjectTo

Vector ObjectOperator

VectorObjectLayer

VectorObjectLayer

Prob. PixelsTo

Raster ObjectOperator

VectorObjectLayer

Vector ObjectTo

Vector ObjectOperator

Pixels(training)

Train Query

PixelInferenceEngine

Pixels(candidates)

Pixel Cue Metrics

Interpretation of Forest Classes from Optical Data

Dense Forest - Open Canopy

Scattered ForestDense Forest - Close Canopy

Semi-Dense Forest - Open CanopySemi-Dense Forest – Open Canopy

Semi-Dense Forest – Close Canopy

Mangrove

Interpretation of Forest Classes from Optical Data

Dense Forest - Open Canopy

Scattered ForestDense Forest - Close Canopy

Semi-Dense Forest - Open CanopySemi-Dense Forest – Open Canopy

Semi-Dense Forest – Close Canopy

Mangrove

Coconut

• Stratum maybe subject to change after field verification and consultations with DoF

Challenges and Pending Activities

• Main challenges were:– Orthorectification

• Solved with the application of the geiod model– IMAGINE Objective

• Experimentation (time consuming)• Large scenes (time consuming)

• Future Tasks:– Validation of Segmentation results with field

data collection and accuracy assessment– Consultations with GIZ, DoF, and DoL on a

Forest cover based on an approved national forest definition.

References

• Bellamy, Jennifer A. 1993. “Vanuatu Resource Information System. VANRIS Handbook”. CSIRO Brisbane.

• Schweter, Martin. 2011. “Elaboration of a Vegetation and Land Cover Map of Vanuatu” Under the FAO Program ‘Strengthening of the Monitoring, Assessment and Reporting (MAR) on Sustainable Forest Management (SFM)’. Government of Vanuatu, Ministry of Agriculture, Quarantine, Forestry and Fisheries (MAQFF), Strengthening Monitoring, Assessment and Reporting (MAR) on Sustainable Forest Management (SFM) in Asia Project (GCP/INT/988/JPN) Vanuatu Department of Forest.”

• Herold, Martin, Jacqueline Sambale, Martin Lindner, Marcel Urban, and Sean Weaver. 2007. “Satellite Based Monitoring of the National Forest Resources in the Pacific Island State of Vanuatu. Proceedings of the Tri-National Conference 2007 of the Swiss, Austrian and German Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing, 19.-21.06.2007, Basel/ Switzerland, 319-328.”

• Seifert-Granzin, Jörg. 2013. “SAR Based Un-calibrated Biomass Map of Espiritu Santo Island, Vanuatu. Processing Description and Results Version 1.0.”

• Seifert-Granzin, Jörg. 2013. “GHG Inventory Design for Santo Island, Vanuatu Version 2.0”