Geospatial technology is an interdisciplinary field that finds a role in almost every sector, be it defense, business or natural resource management. There are different tools of geospatial technology that work collectively to contribute to making our daily lives easier. GIS or Geographical Information System is a machine-based information system that is used for storing, collecting, manipulating, organizing, analyzing, managing and displaying various kinds of geospatial data.
In this blog, we will discuss the application of geospatial in natural resource management, its perks, and other risk and hazards.
Application of geospatial technology in natural resource management
The natural resources are important to the economy of a nation that plays a vital role in the employment and help industries to manufacture their product. Using geospatial technology in natural resource management is a beneficial technique that helps to measure natural resource assets in an efficient and effective manner. The current trend of advanced information technologies helps to find these natural resources. It enables the GIS technicians to identify the human impact on natural resources and helps to find ways for utilization of those natural resources. It starts with the collection of data from vegetation, land cover, soil, and geology, which are the crucial parts of our natural resources. Once the data is collected, the information is mapped with the help of GIS technology. The data is collected through remote sensing – satellite images or aerial photographs for research.
Let us know about the process in detail
The role of geospatial in natural resource management
GIS and Remote sensing are mainly used in the mapping process. It helps to develop a variety of maps. But things are not as simple as that. It takes several processes to collect data by using ground, aerial or satellite photographs. Among them, photographs from the satellite are provided detailed information and can be generated a lot of data.
To analyze these data various elements and components are used. This brings a detailed view of the area of study. GIS also allows data generation, editing, storage, and analysis of spatial data important in planning and decision making.
The main role of geospatial technology in natural resource management is in dealing with environmental issues like a landslide, flood, drought, soil erosion, earthquake, etc. It is not just restricted to a confrontation with these natural disasters but also focuses on other problems such as climate change, population growth, habitat loss, pollution and more.
The introduction of geospatial in the field of natural resource management has already solved some of the major problems of the natural environment. We have covered how geospatial applications and natural resource management work together in various fields. Read on.
Risk Management
Geospatial technology when applied to natural resource management can help to reduce a natural hazard like a landslide, flood, soil erosion, drought, earthquake, etc. Although it is not possible to avoid or stop these natural disasters through GIS or geospatial techniques, there are ways to reduce these. Some of the main ways include early planning, strategies, and execution. It plays a major role in managing and monitoring such hazards and risks. With the help of GIS, we can have all the spatial data of the natural hazards of the past or the ones that are possible to occur in the near future. Using this spatial data, we have higher chances of fighting and reducing the level of impact these natural calamities can cause. The spatial data is presented in a GIS-based map.
Change Detection
In natural resource management, geospatial technology helps in gathering information about the land area change infrequent time periods. The land change documents are identified using aerial photographs or satellite imagery. The geospatial application proves to be helpful in deforestation assessment, land change, habitat fragmentation, urbanization, etc. The information collected from the application allows the experts to conduct a thorough study of the particular area, monitor it and conclude the variations occurring in the landscape. It also serves as a great help in environmental management.
Monitoring the environment
By now we have already made some points on how geospatial technology, when used in natural resource management, helps to solve some crucial environmental issues. We will now focus on how the geospatial experts do it. When geospatial technology is applied to natural resource management, it renders the graphical data, which allows the experts to monitor the environment. It identifies the quantitative and qualitative data about environmental problems such as land degradation, pollution, soil erosion, and others. This way, we can also predict any similar future hazards and find solutions for prevention.
Creating a natural resource inventory
Geospatial technology is used to create a natural resource inventory which is a kind of statistical survey to know the condition of our natural resources. It gives us significant information about the conditions of the environment and the policies of conversation programs. We get this information through GIS-based maps of the location and current natural resources. So, it is nothing but a study and management of earth resources.
Benefits of applying geospatial technology in natural resource management
• Allows management of land by providing helpful data required in construction or agricultural works.
• It helps in conserving biodiversity on a large scale by helping us extract pre-information. It helps in protecting several biological habitats and promotes flora and fauna.
• It provides us the hydrological data for carrying our watershed management successfully.
• It is also being expanded to use in the field of mineral exploration in countries like Canada, Australia, and the United States.
Conclusion
By using Geospatial Technologies, real-time data can be collected. With these data, researchers can examine as well investigate the causes and consequences of the problems and take the appropriate action accordingly. Through this technology, we get to understand natural resource management in a better way. It is a technique that efficiently carries out most of the tasks, which would have been otherwise impossible. For example, detecting the risk of natural calamities, implementing conversation programs and more. So, geospatial technology in natural resource management is a great collaboration to preserve nature and secure it for the present and upcoming generations.