The Global Mangrove Watch –

Annual mapping of the status and changes of the world’s mangroves

Ake Rosenqvist and Masanobu Shimada (JAXA/Japan)

Richard Lucas (Aberystwyth Univ./U.K.) Lisa Maria Rebelo (IWMI/Lao DPR)

17th Ramsar STRP, Gland/CH, Feb 25 – Mar 1, 2013

Ramsar Mangrove Sites Total sites containing mangroves • 250 sites • Covering 26,426,988 ha • Located in all 6 Ramsar regions • 72 Contracting Parties

Sites designated for the mangroves: • 91 sites • Covering 9,113,310 ha • Located in 5/6 Ramsar regions • 23 Contracting Parties

• Earth observation satellites well suited for large-scale mapping of forest and vegetation

• Using time-series of satelite data, changes in the vegetation cover can be detected and quantified

• Longer and more frequent time-series help to improve classification accuracy

• Recent advances in computing power enables processing and storage of the very large data amounts involved

Why Earth observation satellites?

The first global effort The first satellite-based, fine resolution global map of mangrove extent generated by the US Geological Survey (USGS) 2010. Based on 30m Landsat (optical) data from the years 1998-2000.

Can be viewed online at http://earthengine.google.org/#state=detail&assetId=LANDSAT/MANGROVE_FORESTS

• Changes in mangroves occur fast and updated information about the change status required. For countries participating in REDD+, UNFCCC requires reporting at least on a bi-annual basis.

• Cloud cover limits optical satellite observations in the tropical zone. Radar satellites can acquire data regardless of clouds, smoke and haze.

• Consistent satellite data archives. JAXA first space agency to develop global systematic observation strategies: JERS-1: Consistent pantropical mid-1990’s: ALOS: All global land areas >2 times/year (2007-2011) ALOS-2 (launch Nov 2013): Continued global acquisitions

Need to map status + changes

• International collaborative project initiated in October 2011, as part of JAXA’s Kyoto & Carbon (K&C) Initiative.

Objectives: • Generation of a baseline map of the global mangrove extent for the year 2010, at a spatial resolution of 25 m.

• Assessment of decadal changes between 2000 (USGS) and 2010 (JAXA)

• Undertake annual mapping of changes in the global mangrove areas (ALOS – 2007-2011, ALOS-2 – 2013+)

Global Mangrove Watch

Losses • Acquaculture • Oil and gas exploration • Urbanisation and infrastructure • Logging for firewood and other uses • Degradation • Others...

Gains • Natural migration • Seaward expansion (natural / antropogenic) • Inland expansion (e.g. due to sea level rise and flooding) • Large-scale replanting projects

Challenge – detecting many different types of changes

Pilot areas for field validation Africa • Guinea-Bissau

• Niger delta

• Mozambique

Pilot areas for field validation Neotropics & N. America • Brazil • French Guyana • Venezuela

• Colombia • Peru • Equador • Costa Rica • Honduras • Mexico • USA

Pilot areas for field validation Asia Oceania • Irriwaddi delta

• Philippnes

• Sabah, Perak/Malaysia

• Kalimantan, Sumatra,

Irian Jaya/Indonesia

• QL, NT/Australia

Perak, Malaysia: Managed mangrove reserves

Matang Mangrove Forest Reserve. Perak, Malaysia

Managed mangrove reserves Perak, Malaysia: Managed mangrove reserves

Changes 2007–2010 (pilot results)

Photo: A Syaharuddin K

2009 2010 2008

2007 2000 1996

French Guyana: Natural migration

French Guyana: Natural migration (1996 – 2010)

USGS 2000

East Kalimantan: Antropogenic changes

Photo: M Z Rachman Photo: Hendrarto

ALOS (Radar) 2010 USGS 2000 ALOS 2010

Photo: Unknown

Hinchbrook Island, QL Australia

R&D: Above-ground biomass and structural classification

• Validation of a global product an immense undertaking. • Pilot Sites cover a limited range of mangrove environments

Ramsar parties, national organisations and NGO’s are

most welcome to contribute with local knowledge and field information for validation.

Validation challenges

2012–2013 • Algorithm development over Pilot Sites • Validation of classification results by GMW team members • Improvement of classification algorithms and 2nd round of Pilot Site validations

2014 • Release of maps of mangrove extent and changes for the years 1995, 2000 and 2007-2010

2015+ • Map updates at an annual basis. New maps to be released within 1 year of the image acquisitions. • Continuous validation and improvement of algorithms

Time schedule

• The Global Mangrove Watch is an international collaborative project aiming at producing updated information about the worlds mangrove areas on an annual basis.

• All mangrove maps will be available free of charge, and within one year after the satellite observations.

• Wish to increase engagement of national/international organisations and groups

• Proposed contribution to the Ramsar Global Wetlands Observing System (GWOS)

Conclusions

Participating science team organisations

• Australia (Aberystwyth Univ./UK)

• Borneo, Irian Jaya (Wageningen Univ./NL)

• Philippines (Flora & Fauna International, GTZ)

• Brazil (Brazilian Forest Service, Univ. of Para)

• Americas and Africa (NASA, Univ. Maryland)

• East Africa (IWMI)

• Sumatra (JAXA )

• Mekong delta (AGS/USA)