4
Special Reports - Environmental Protection
Case Study 1
2012 Satellite Monitoring of Forest, Natural Resources and Mitigation of
Natural Disasters in Honduras using GIS and RS
Geographic information systems (GIS) have become
an important technical instrument used by advanced
nations to facilitate decision-making on matters of land
use, as well as national development planning. GIS
has many applications, including environmental impact
assessment, resource management, land planning,
urban and regional planning, transportation management,
forest protection and conservation and archaeological
investigation. GIS can be used to support decisions
whenever there is a need for geographical information or
solutions involving spatial data and associated analyses.
Promoting a Pilot GIS Project: Nicaragua as a
Successful Case
To make the best use of Taiwan’s FORMOSAT-2
satellite and to assist our Central American partners to
incorporate geographic factors into their national policies,
we have been promoting a pilot GIS project in Nicaragua
since 2009. The initiative, designed to assist the
Nicaraguan Institute of Territorial Studies and Nicaragua’s
Ministry of the Environment and Natural Resources to
engage in environmental monitoring and enhance their
ability to operate GIS technologies and applications,
began in earnest in 2010.
During this time, by sharing satellite images and data
and providing training and technical cooperation, we were
able to help Nicaragua tackle important changes as they
took place within protected ecological zones. We broke
through previous constraints imposed by only being able
to carry out limited foot patrols and continually raised the
GIS proficiency of personnel involved in implementing
the project. This meant that the use of such technologies
could be gradually expanded to monitor agricultural
production and provide surveillance on areas prone to
flooding and a world heritage site. GIS was also used to
shape land-use policies and conduct disaster prevention
work.
Extending a Project’s Successful Experiences,
Expanding the Influence of Overseas Assistance
Based on the successful experiences of the pilot
GIS project in Nicaragua, we expanded this combination
of overseas assistance and GIS technology with a new
project in 2012 in cooperation with the government of
Honduras. This project will assist Honduras’ National
Institute for Conservation and Forest Development,
Protected Areas and Wildlife to monitor the country’s Rio
Platano reservation. One of the most important protected
ecological zones in Honduras, the area has been under
constant threat of illegal logging in recent years, which
has led to a significant decline in biodiversity. Through this
project, in 2012 alone the government was able to take
action at 33 sites where unlawful activities were underway.
Compared to previous efforts that passively relied upon
park rangers and members of the public for reports
and information, the project has enabled conservation
activities to proceed with much greater efficiency.
Trainees participating in this GIS project in Honduras use equipment to
monitor land use.
56
