Forest Monitoring Service MESA IGAD Thema Expérience Siro Abdallah GIS / RS Analyst RCMRD, ICPAC AFRIGEOSS 28th April, Zimbabwe

Over View of MESA – IGAD THEMA African Union Commission European Union ACP Secretariat 5 African Regional Economic Communities EDF Funding

Operational Services

Results Areas Access to basic data and provision of new data Consolidation and further development of LDM, NHC services and an operational Information system for Forest Information Service Cross fertilization Adequate technical level training is ensured Political and policy frameworks are strengthened

Challenges in IGAD Forest Management Institutional Challenges Access to EO data – Internet and Downloads Poor technical capacities and inadequate facilities Non existent National Networks Restricted to Non-existent funds Little to Non – existent Forest Mapping/ Inventorying

Scope of Forest Monitoring Service Objectives of Forest Monitoring Service: set up an operational system for monitoring forests in the Region set up institutional arrangements to steer in country Forest Monitoring process (National Steering committees on operational services) Use EO data to analyse and Inform (Regional, National and Hotspot level): - forest change (Deforestation, Degradation) trends - Assess forest Vulnerability strengthen the capacity of local personnel in deforestation/degradation mapping and the overall Forest Monitoring/REDD+ process Products: Forest Mapping - Change and statistics ( Regional, National and Hotspot level ) Forest Vulnerability Maps Regional State of the Forests Atlas Open source application for forest monitoring – IMPACT Tool Key Users : National Ministries of Environment, National Forest Institutions, IGAD Secretariat, Regional Institutions, Researchers, Universities etc.

Open source Software Platforms – IMPACT Tool- In collaboration with JRC, developed open source Remote Sensing. Automation tools to support countries in forest monitoring Access : Use of the Open Source tool for processing satellite data to land cover maps *Landsat Series *RapidEye *Sentinel 2 PRODUCTS

Deforestation rate: 0.2% > 0.4% > 0.78% Deforestation rate of 0.78% Regional Time Series Assessment Results - IGAD Region lost over 50, 000 sqkm ≈ 200,000ha annually in the last 25 yrs: - 55% forest to forest Mosaic - 25% forest to agriculture and settlement PRODUCTS

National Products Processing Chain

FMS – National Products  Forest cover Maps and Change Statistics  Forest Vulnerability Assessment  National Training Workshops  Formation of National Steering Committees Degradation Deforestation Vulnerability Assessment Kinyeti Forest S.Sudan

FMS – Capacity Development and Product Dissemination Regional Thematic Trainings National Thematic Trainings Workshops State of Forests Atlas Products and Info Access:

The service products are meant to support the REDD+ process (through capacity building) there is a requirement for nations to undertake an analysis of historical data to determine rates of deforestation. The Forest monitoring service will provide the earth observation based information to support national and regional policy and decision makers engaged in Forest monitoring and conservation management. The results are however the most efficient means of delivering a regional forest monitoring capability that reports on forest statistics: how much forest and how much forest change including a measure of forest fragmentation The vulnerability model output will be index maps depicting the degree of vulnerability of forests in each ecosystem. Vulnerability index model provide the bases of decision making process by forest managers that improve the preservation of forests and determines the risk levels. Forest Products Usage

Summary and conclusions: -A wide range of satellite data and products over the tropics – Access issue should be enhanced -A need for enhanced linkage with partners for the exploitation of such products for forest monitoring still exists -Capacity building to local institutions is a key strategy to forest management -Much focus should be on use of Open source applications for sustainability

14 Thank you!