Digital solutions to natural challenges – New tools to monitor and gather data in the field of Protected Area Management

New technologies can significantly improve the efficiency of collecting data and creating inventories for Protected Area managers. In this webinar, we will dive into a range of tools that can support day-to-day activities, as well as discover a tool that determines the potential carbon storage capacities in natural forests. 

Get to know our case studies

Digital inventory and development analysis using terrestrial laser scanners and drones in the Rohrach natural forest reserve – Larissa Posch, MSc.

The exact recording of above-ground wood biomass is of enormous importance for determining the potential carbon storage capacities in natural forests and can serve as a basis for the determination and verification of carbon credits. The conventional method of determining the wood biomass of a forest only assesses the forestry-relevant parts of the trunk and not the total biomass of the tree. In order to document the carbon storage capacity and its change, recording on inventory plots is therefore only of limited significance.

Terrestrial laser scanners (TLS) are a breakthrough in this process. This new technology, tested in the Rohrach natural forest reserve in Austria, allows for each tree to be recorded three-dimensionally as a 3D point cloud with several thousand individual coordinates. The results are precise recording of biomass, shape and even microhabitats. Furthermore, this webinar will introduce participants to new methods of acquiring data from the air using satellites, aeroplanes and drones (UAV laser scanning).

Presentation: Presentation: Larissa Posch

BioMONITec: Biodiversity Monitoring Technologies Test, Development and Transfer of disruptive engineering technologies into conservation practice – Vanessa Berger, MSc.

BioMONITec focuses on testing the latest technologies and tools in the field of biodiversity monitoring, assessing their applicability, and comparing them with classical methods. The available tools are organised into thematic e-toolkits and structured in the form of an online catalogue to help Protected Area managers identify the right monitoring methods and build on existing know-how. 

In addition, the project developed a global guide (MoniGloG) that will help in the design of biodiversity monitoring projects. An online configurator called MoniConfig will also support the implementation of standardised monitoring measures.

Presentation: Vanessa Berger

Larissa Posch

Larissa Posch, MSc works with GIS and Remote Sensing in nature conservation projects. Her specialty is use of technologies and remote sensing in visualization of spatial data. She works on projects in the field of preparation and evaluation of remote sensing data, GIS analyses and statistical evaluations. She is currently assisting the E.C.O. Team in AI4Trees project which explores the effects of climate change on tree growth analysing forest laser scan data. 

Vanessa Berger

Vanessa Berger, MSc is a key expert for all topics related to spatial and statistical analysis, as well as ecological modeling. As a UAV pilot, she specializes in post-processing and creating orthophotos, along with 3D data of forest ecosystems.

At the UNESCO Chair for the Sustainable Management of Conservation Areas at Carinthia University of Applied Sciences, she tests state-of-the-art technologies, comparing them with traditional standard tools. Additionally, she is accountable for developing a standardised monitoring tool platform to disseminate gained knowledge globally.