2. 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

3. 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

4. PILOT ISLANDS  The 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.Santo 2.Malekula 3.Efate 4.Erromango

5. PILOT ISLANDS

6. Available Data

7. 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

8. 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)

9. Image pre-processing Ortho-correction process: Normal Ortho-rectification with 5m DSM still vertical shifts were visible

10. Application of Geoid

11. 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

12. Forest Stratification Forest 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)

13. 1. VANRIS (Bellamy 1993)

15. 2. New Vegetation Map (Schweter 2011)

16. Current Forest Mapping Activities @ SOPAC

17. 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)

18. IMAGINE Objective Process Flow Chart Vector Objects (training) Vector Objects (candidates) TrainQuery Object Cue Metrics Object Inference Engine Raster Object To Raster Object Operator Pixel Probability Laye Raster Object Layer Vector Object Layer Raster Object Layer Raster Object To Vector Object Operator Vector Object To Vector Object Operator Vector Object Layer Vector Object Layer Prob.Pixels To Raster Object Operator Vector Object Layer Vector Object To Vector Object Operator Pixels (training) TrainQuery Pixel Inference Engine Pixels (candidates) Pixel Cue Metrics

19. Interpretation of Forest Classes from Optical Data Dense Forest - Open Canopy Scattered Forest Dense Forest - Close Canopy Semi-Dense Forest - Open Canopy Semi-Dense Forest – Open Canopy Semi-Dense Forest – Close Canopy Mangrove

20. Interpretation of Forest Classes from Optical Data Dense Forest - Open Canopy Scattered Forest Dense Forest - Close Canopy Semi-Dense Forest - Open Canopy Semi-Dense Forest – Open Canopy Semi-Dense Forest – Close Canopy Mangrove Coconut

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

22. 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.

23. 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”