Work package 1: Environmental information supporting decision making
Work package 2: Practical applications and testing
Work package 3: Making the most of field inventory data and observation networks
Work package 4: Potential of Earth Observation
Work package 5: Models for monitoring biodiversity and carbon stocks
Work package 6: Data interoperability and data management
Home > Work packages > Work package 4: Potential of Earth Observation
Work package
Our objective is to initiate the routine-like production of information based on satellite and LiDAR measurements, which can support monitoring changes in biodiversity and ecosystems in Finland.
At the moment, there is a wealth of earth observation data, i.e., remote sensing data, available from different sensors. At the same time, the volume of data being collected is increasing substantially. Particularly important data sources for environmental monitoring in Finland are the Sentinel satellites of the Copernicus programme of the European Union, the Landsat mission of the United States Geological Survey, and the national laser scanning programme. However, the full potential of earth observation data has not yet been harnessed in monitoring changes in habitats, biodiversity, and ecosystems.
Development Manager
Saku Anttila
saku.anttila@syke.fi
Earth observation as a source of environmental information
At the moment, there is a wealth of earth observation, or remote sensing, data available from different sensors. At the same time, the volume of data being collected is increasing substantially. Particularly important data sources for environmental monitoring in Finland are the Sentinel satellites of the Copernicus programme of the European Union, the Landsat mission of the United States Geological Survey, and the national laser scanning programme. However, the full potential of earth observation data has not yet been harnessed in monitoring changes in habitats, biodiversity, and ecosystems.
With the help of Earth observation, it is possible to detect and delineate habitats as well as estimate changes, for example, in their extent, species composition, or structure. The strengths of satellite remote sensing include global coverage and frequent revisit times, enabling even daily observations. Depending on the characteristics of the habitat type being monitored, Earth observation can be a primary or secondary data source for estimating habitat extent and condition. The potential of Earth observation is typically small for habitats smaller than the sensor's spatial resolution, such as narrow water courses, and for habitats that cannot be observed from space, such as caves.
Earth observation data is big data
Data collected from Earth observation is big data, which means that proper data management, processing and distribution requires generous storage space and processing power. In practice, this requires dedicated national and international cloud processing environments. Appropriate planning and implementation of data management are prerequisites for extensive utilisation of Earth observation data in environmental monitoring.
Earth observation in FEO
The FEO work package 4, which concentrates on Earth observation, has three main tasks:
1. Collation, processing and management of Earth observation data
Collation of Earth observation and other spatial data relevant for FEO, description and documentation of processes related to their production and application as well as taking the data into use in prioritised order
2. Earth observation as source data for habitats and ecosystems
Development of Earth observation methods to support reporting needs for different policies: EU nature directive reporting, reporting on threatened habitat types, monitoring related to the HELMI programme
Initiate routine-like data production.
3. New Earth observation data sources, methods and applications
Sensors used in Earth observation, as well as methods and processing environments required for processing and analysing the data collected by these sensors, are evolving and improving constantly. Research and development is needed to get this development caught up with the FEO framework.
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