On the Use of Unmanned Aerial Systems for Environmental Monitoring

Environmental monitoring plays a central role in diagnosing climate and management impacts on natural and agricultural systems; enhancing the understanding of hydrological processes; optimizing the allocation and distribution of water resources; and assessing, forecasting, and even preventing natural disasters. Nowadays, most monitoring and data collection systems are based upon a combination of ground-based measurements, manned airborne sensors, and satellite observations. These data are utilized in describing both small- and large-scale processes, but have spatiotemporal constraints inherent to each respective collection system. Bridging the unique spatial and temporal divides that limit current monitoring platforms is key to improving our understanding of environmental systems. In this context, Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) have considerable potential to radically improve environmental monitoring. UAS-mounted sensors offer an extraordinary opportunity to bridge the existing gap between field observations and traditional air- and space-borne remote sensing, by providing high spatial detail over relatively large areas in a cost-effective way and an entirely new capacity for enhanced temporal retrieval. As well as showcasing recent advances in the field, there is also a need to identify and understand the potential limitations of UAS technology. For these platforms to reach their monitoring potential, a wide spectrum of unresolved issues and application-specific challenges require focused community attention. Indeed, to leverage the full potential of UAS-based approaches, sensing technologies, measurement protocols, postprocessing techniques, retrieval algorithms, and evaluation techniques need to be harmonized. The aim of this paper is to provide an overview of the existing research and applications of UAS in natural and agricultural ecosystem monitoring in order to identify future directions, applications, developments, and challengespublishersversionPeer reviewe

Holistic wetland restoration: Can participatory approaches help to reach it?

Wetlands are sites of complex interactions between humans and non-humans that have been usually treated as linear and simple systems. Awareness of their complexity and ecological importance has led to increased emphasis on their protection and restoration in a holistic way. Such holistic approaches usually claim the need to incorporate all the humans and non-humans involved. Thus, from a complexity theory perspective, participation and involvement has been advocated as the most adequate method to reach holistic approaches within ecological restoration. However, this study claims that any holistic restoration based on participation must operate with a certain structure to be successful. Certain ontologies, communities and spaces for dialogue must be present for participation to lead to a holistic outcome. With the help of object-oriented ontology and Latour’s political ecology, a theoretical framework for participation is outlined, based on a non-dualistic ontology and the concept of place which, it is argued, enables the space needed for dialogue. This framework is explored through a case study of a wetland disturbance and restoration at Bjarnarfjörður (Strandir, Iceland), where the current Icelandic wetland restoration policy is explored and contrasted with a participatory approach to restoration. Semi-structured interviews, group meetings and a participatory GIS process were used to highlight the shortcomings of the current approach and explore the possibilities for participation at wetland restoration sites in a holistic manner. This study claims that, under the current approach, participation is not able to lead to holistic outcomes. Even though, the process of participation is still defended, as it shapes those communities towards a future allowance of holistic restoration.Votlendi eru svæði þar sem fjölþætt samspil mennskra og ómennskra aðila á sér stað. Oftast hafa þau verið meðhöndluð sem línuleg, einföld kerfi. Meiri vitneskja um hversu flókin og vistfræðilega mikilvæg votlendi eru hefur leitt til þess að aukin áhersla hefur verið lögð á heildræna verndun þeirra og endurheimt. Þegar heildrænni nálgun er beitt er jafnan lögð áhersla á nauðsyn þess að taka tillit til allra aðila, bæði mennskra og ómennskra. Með vísan til flækjufræða hefur verið álitið nauðsynlegt að beita þátttökuaðferðum til að heildræn vistheimt geti átt sér stað. Í þessari ritgerð er því hins vegar haldið fram að til að ná megi markmiðinu um heildræna vistheimt þurfi að setja þátttökuaðferðum tiltekinn ramma. Ganga þarf út frá tiltekinni verufræði, skilgreina samfélög og rými til samræðu til að þátttakan geti leitt til heildrænnar niðurstöðu. Með hjálp hlutmiðaðrar verufræði, sem forðast tvíhyggju, og með hliðsjón af pólitískri vistfræði Bruno Latour er dreginn upp fræðilegur rammi fyrir þátttöku. Færð eru rök að því að staðarhugtakið geti þjónað til að skapa rými til samræðu. Þessi nálgun er síðan skoðuð nánar með tilviksathugun. Röskun og endurheimt votlendis í Bjarnarfirði á Ströndum var tekin til athugunar. Núverandi aðferðir við að velja svæði til endurheimar votlendis eru greindar og niðurstaða þeirra borin saman við niðurstöðu þátttökumiðaðrar nálgunar. Hálfstýrð viðtöl og þátttökumiðuð landupplýsingakerfi voru notuð til að kanna möguleika til þessa að velja svæði til endurheimtar á heildrænan hátt. Í ritgerðinni er því haldið fram að þátttökuaðferðir leiði ekki til heildrænnar niðurstöðu sé unnið út frá þeirri nálgun sem nú er jafnan beitt. Þátttökuferlið er samt sem áður mikilvægt, þar eð það hjálpar samfélögunum sem um ræðir til að skerpa sýnina á markmið heildrænnar vistheimtar.This study was partially funded by Vegagerðin, under the project name “Coping with sustainability: guidelines for holistic wetland restoration