Cost effective methods to measure extent and condition of habitats: Earth Observation Phase 3

Report contains data that can be used under Open Government Licence. Phase 1 of the Making Earth observation work for conservation series of research projects created the Crick Framework, which demonstrated ways that remote sensing technologies could be used to report on extent and condition of Annex 1 and Priority Habitats. Phase 2 refined the framework to produce a user’s guide and undertook practical trials of some technologies to see if they met expectations. This Phase 3 project aims to extend the work, building on existing knowledge and maps, to describe and map selected upland areas in the UK, looking in particular at the phenotypic manifestations of the communities of interest in relation to Earth Observation (EO). This project will trial and develop the object orientated rule base approach, to transfer the ecological manifestation of the habitats in upland areas to further develop the rule base approach. It will provide a business case for national roll out for further consideration by policy makers in collaboration with other works that are ongoing for Countryside Survey. A strategic mapping pilot of upland areas will be undertaken to assess the transferability of object orientated rule base mapping to an area where the habitats and context in which they are found are very different. It will make full use of available ancillary data. The work will include as assessment of the economic and practical application, and give critical evaluation of the methods and uncertainties. This work would test the adaptability of the technique to incorporate enough ecological variation to support a more strategic rollout at a national or UK wide scale. The project will involve a Knowledge Exchange component to ensure that potential users are aware of the potential and engaged in development of this. It is directly relevant to priority actions stated in Biodiversity 2020 to put robust, reliable and more co-ordinated arrangements in place, to monitor changes in the state of biodiversity and also the flow of benefits and services it provides us, to ensure that we can assess the outcomes of this strategy.