Integrating Environmental and Geomatics Technologies for Landscape Monitoring, Assessment and Restoration

Transcription

1 Integrating Environmental and Geomatics Technologies for Landscape Monitoring, Assessment and Restoration Applied Geomatics Research Group (AGRG) Centre of Geographics Sciences (COGS) NSCC Annapolis Valley Campus Dr. Robert Maher Dr. David Woolnough Senior Research Scientist Director, Applied Research NSCC Annapolis Valley Campus NSCC Annapolis Valley Campus RR 1 Lawrencetown RR 1 Lawrencetown Anna. Co., NS Anna. Co., NS B0S 1M0 B0S 1M0 Phone: (902) Phone: (902) Fax: (902) Fax: (902) Robert.Maher@nscc.ca David.Woolnough@nscc.ca Amount Requested from Granting Agency: Year 1 $ 100,000 Year 2 $ 200,000 Year 3 $ 300,000 Total $ 600,000 Dr. David Woolnough

2 Section B Summary The Applied Geomatics Research Group (AGRG) at the Nova Scotia Community College has been successfully funded for over four years (see active funded projects p.9). The application of Geomatics technologies to environmental and health issues has utilized new sensors (CASI, LiDAR) and in situ environmental instrumentation. In this NSERC proposal, we seek to balance our landscape assessment research with support for the creation of a business incubation centre to serve the private sector interests in the region. Under the most recent CFI award, AGRG will obtain its own airborne terrestrial LiDAR system; in conjunction with our high resolution digital camera system, we will have the resources to conduct synoptic remote sensing for the Annapolis Valley agricultural area and also the coastal zone of the Bay of Fundy. Using this field laboratory and through technology integration, AGRG will provide business opportunities in value added products, technology transfer and knowledge exchange. Through our recent partnership with the Canadian Consortium for LiDAR Environmental applications research (C CLEAR), we have expanded our academic circle of influence and will partner on LiDAR data acquisitions and research to answer a variety of environmental impact and resource assessment questions across Canada. This partnership will effectively promote the AGRG as a nationally recognized centre of excellence in LiDAR applications research. Our research has the following objectives: To acquire and assess high resolution LiDAR and aerial photography to classify and map natural vegetation communities and agricultural land use To expand the climate and hydrology network and to link via wireless or satellite to a central server for near real time display on the Internet To continue our investigations of the relationship between scale and landscape monitoring and assessment To design, develop and test new environmental instrumentation. To better integrate remote sensing with temporal hydrometric network data products in a GIS environment for improved land use modeling and management. Our community economic development strategy has the following objectives: To train highly qualified personnel (HQP) in LiDAR applications and Environmental technologies To develop data sharing agreements with companies interested in the creation of value added products e.g. viewsheds, 3D animations To undertake joint research projects with industry on the integration of new technologies for the market To provide a context for knowledge exchange on the integration of science and technology e.g weather forecasting, alternative energy models, precision agriculture and aquaculture To establish a business incubation centre for AGRG graduates and companies that wish to locate near AGRG facilities and resources. To attract outside investment in the community by growing AGRG research, training and business incubation efforts. AGRG will increase its visibility through a research papers series, national and international workshops and eventually the development of distance learning materials and curricula. 1

3 Section C Detailed Proposal Describe the long term strategy of the institution for contributing to local innovation and its priority within the institution s overall strategic plan. In addition, please attach a copy of the complete strategic plan. The Applied Geomatics Research Group (AGRG) resides on the Annapolis Valley Campus (AVC) in Middleton. The Annapolis Valley campus is one of thirteen campuses that comprise the Nova Scotia Community College (NSCC). AGRG is the premier Applied Research unit within the NSCC and it has been fulfilling its mandate since January Over the last four years, the group has received repeat funding from the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) and also from the Atlantic Innovation Fund (AIF). This has allowed us to grow a critical mass of Environmental and Geomatics technologies, research scientists and graduate students. As a result of the AGRG research, there have been opportunities to build collaborative partnerships with industry, universities and government agencies. These relationships can be found in rural Nova Scotia (Annapolis Valley), the Maritime provinces and for certain projects at the national scale. Over the last two years, AGRG has between actively working with the municipalities and regional development agency (Western Valley Development Authority WVDA) to establish a business innovation centre in the Annapolis Valley with the focus on new Environmental and Geomatics technologies. Since we also regard the Annapolis Valley as our field laboratory we have conducted applied research to meet the needs of the agriculture industry e.g. potential locations for niche agriculture, the relationship between microclimate and grape production. We have also collaborated with ESRI Canada on municipal applications of GIS for the towns of Bridgetown, Middleton and Annapolis Royal through the Centre for Land Information and Computer based Knowledge (CLICK) project. At the next scale of geography (the Maritime provinces) we have an ongoing relationship with GeoNET (PEI), CARIS (NB), Helical Systems (NS) to develop a coastal zone decision support system for disaster management, funded under AIF. The particular focus is on the impact of sea level rise, storm surges and the risk of flooding in coastal areas. The project management and a large part of the software development work is being conducted by research staff at AGRG. This project is complementary to our participation in Canada Climate Action Fund (CCAF) research in the Maritimes Finally, at the national scale, with our third CFI award, we have partnered with C CLEAR and have started a dialogue with the LiDAR industry in Ontario (Optech and Mosaic Mapping) to begin technology transfer to the Maritimes. This project will involve the equipment, application research and the development of a curriculum for training highly qualified personnel (HQP). Our long term strategy is to support business innovation in the region by conducting applied research that has direct relevance to the local community and to provide a mechanism for transfer of new technology into the region. At the community college, we shall design new programs in both LiDAR applications and Environmental Technologies to contribute to the pool of graduates with expertise in the tools and their application. 2

4 Identify the area (subject, topic) that the project will focus on and explain why it was selected in terms of the college and the local community. The project focus is: Integrating Environmental and Geomatics technologies for landscape monitoring, assessment and restoration. The emphasis on the two sets of related technology has its roots in the training programs at the Centre of Geographic Sciences (COGS), Lawrencetown. These programs emphasize Geomatics and IT. Since the 1980 s we have trained post graduates in GIS, Remote Sensing and related technologies. With the formation of AGRG, our approach has been to match airborne/satellite remote sensing data acquisition systems with in situ instrumentation. The in situ instrumentation includes a network of climate stations, water level and quality sensors. We have a project in progress with Aliant Inc. to establish wireless connections to our climate instrumentation in the Annapolis Cornwallis watersheds. The emphasis on landscape monitoring, assessment and restoration reflects our recognition that within the GIS environment, we have the capacity to address issues of spatial resolution, hydrological processes and the relationship between the topographic surface and plant communities and vegetation cover. In the region, the landscape includes relatively unimpaired wetlands, remnant Acadian forest and agricultural land. We have undertaken applied research in other parts of Nova Scotia (Nova Forest Alliance) and southeast New Brunswick (Climate Change Action Fund). This NSERC funding will allow us to conduct landscape level research, using Environmental and Geomatics technologies in a region where we have the highest quality data sets from both LiDAR (x,y,z) and digital aerial photography. Given that we have ownership of these instruments, we can respond to extreme events and also conduct synoptic remote sensing. The project was selected because it is a logical extension of the previous years of effort. It allows us to answer questions of interest for both agriculture and forestry management. The use of these technologies creates business incubation opportunities locally and then through new curricula we can provide qualified technical personnel for both local and national industry e.g. Geomatics and Environmental consulting companies. Describe current activities at the college supporting innovation in this area. Include information on the following: existing resources and responsibilities of existing personnel; current level of interaction with the local community. Presently, AGRG has six Research Scientists: three employed directly by the college (Colville, Maher and Webster) and two employed by the college on the major AIF project (Hopkinson and Mosher) and one under contract (Stewart). Dr. Bob Maher, Senior Research Scientist. Dr. Maher holds a Ph.D in Geography with research interests in Biogeography and GIS. He has overall responsibility for the Applied Geomatics Research Group (AGRG). He will be actively involved in the development of partnerships with the private sector and also the design of the curriculum for LiDAR applications and Environmental Technologies program. He is the primary contact with Drs. Roff and Guernsey. Tim Webster, Research Scientist. Tim has a background in Geology and Geomatics. He holds an MSc in Geology from Acadia University (1996) where he integrated geoscience data in a GIS to analyze the 3

5 ancient plate boundary across Nova Scotia. He is currently working towards his Ph.D in Earth Sciences at Dalhousie University. His research interests include terrain analysis, integration of GIS and Remote Sensing technologies for geological applications, and the use and validation of LiDAR systems. David Colville, Research Scientist. David has a Masters in Environmental Studies. He has been the lead scientist on the climate instrumentation in the Annapolis Valley and also the definition of ecosites using landscape ecology tools. His GIS interests extend from application design, GIS programming through to spatial analysis of resource management issues. Roger Mosher, Software Engineer. Roger has an IT background and is the Project Manager and chief designer for the AIF project: Coastal Zone Decision Support Systems for disaster management. This project has five year duration. Roger also supports other software development projects involving sonar interpretation, and mosaicing of aerial photographs. Dr. Chris Hopkinson, Research Scientist. Chris will join AGRG this Summer after completing his post doctoral research at Queens University. Chris is also currently the co coordinator of C CLEAR operations and has worked with various federal, provincial government and university partners on environmental assessment applications of LiDAR across Canada. Chris will be part of the AIF project and will examine erosion and impact models. His academic interests are hydro climate networks and processes, hydrological modeling and assessing vegetation biomass characteristics with ground based and airborne LiDAR. Heather Stewart, Research Scientist. Heather has M.Sc in Plant Biology. This winter, she has worked under contract on projects for niche agriculture, rare plant prediction models and critical habitat for Blanding s turtle. This summer, we expect her to be the AGRG Project Manager on the Oxford Frozen Foods AIF. Her previous experience has included environmental assessment with Golder Associates in Calgary, working in Northern Alberta and the MacKenzie Pipeline corridor. We deliver the advanced diploma AGR program with a current enrollment of eight graduate students. Each student is usually funded by an external project (to date, these NSCC students have been ineligible for NSERC funding). The group also undertakes contract research. This includes current contracts with DRDC, NFA, Dalhousie University (under CIHR) and the GSC at the Bedford Institute of Oceamnography (BIO). There is Administrative Support and Technical Support for the group. Group size remains between 18 20, including the eight graduate students. Current relationships between the Applied Geomatics Research Group and proposed partners Acadia University. Dr. John Roff holds the Canada Research Chair in Environmental Sciences. He has been working with AGRG on applied research and also joint graduate programs. For this project, the interest is to develop new instruments for environmental monitoring in association with Dr. Roff and Dr. Michael Robertson, Department of Material Science. If successful, there are substantial business opportunities with large scientific instrument suppliers. AGRG offers an excellent applied research context within the Annapolis Valley. Atlantic Canada Conservation Data Centre (AC CDC). AC CDC is located on the Mount Allison campus in Sackville, NB. AGRG has partnered with this organization on the NFA project. We share a 4

6 common interest in the classification of wetlands, forest communities and the new techniques for mapping the status of these ecosystems. Canadian Consortium for LiDAR Environmental Applications Research (C CLEAR) has partnered with AGRG and will operate out of the Middleton campus. C CLEAR is an NGO with a list of network members in various government and university research facilities across Canada. The purpose of this research is to investigate the environmental impact and resource assessment applications of LiDAR. CARIS. CARIS is located in Fredericton, NB. They are a GIS software development company, employing more than two hundred people, and they have been a private sector partner on our major AIF award. CARIS is interested in applied research conducted by AGRG into new applications of Geomatics technology. Clean Annapolis River Project (CARP). CARP is a well established NGO in Annapolis Royal with interests in the Annapolis River watershed. They seek to disseminate good scientific information to the general public and to influence policy changes in watershed management. AGRG shares many of these concerns and continues to build spatial databases and to conduct landscape assessments for the Annapolis Valley. Coast to Coast 3 D images They are located in Bridgetown and have expressed an interest in the collaboration with AGRG on three dimensional images derived from high resolution LiDAR and aerial photography. They would like to a member of the Business Incubation Centre. Dalhousie University. Dr. Judy Guernsey holds CIHR funding for environmental and occupation health research in rural Canada. AGRG provides the GIS component of the health research and benefits from the linkage to the health sciences network. GeoCognition. They are a start up company formed by AGRG graduates with an interest in the business incubation centre at NSCC, Middleton. Their business will be contracts to develop value added products from applied research. GeoNet Technologies Inc. GeoNet is a private sector partner under our major AIF award. We are entering Year 2 of the partnership. GeoNet is a digital mapping service provider and has shown interest in the AGRG applied research into LiDAR and other technologies for coastal zone mapping. They are located on PEI. Hyperspectral Data International (HDI). AGRG has used the services of HDI for Compact Airborne Spectrographic Imager (CASI) data acquisition under a CFI award. HDI will also be the provider for the new AIF with Oxford Frozen Foods. In this case, AGRG will undertake the quality control. HDI has expressed an interest in the new LiDAR technology and wishes to enter some form of joint research partnership. They are located in Halifax. Interpretation Resources Consulting (IRC). Interpretation Resources Consulting (IRC) is a Nova Scotiabased company specializing in Geographic Information Systems, Application Design and Development, and Map Publishing They have quickly gained an enviable reputation for innovative use of technology to develop value added products. Core personnel share more than 50 years of experience in all aspects 5

7 of Geomatics. IRC has completed a number of large and small projects for a variety of clients representing both the private and public sectors: Nova Forest Alliance. (NFA). NFA, located in Stewiacke, is primarily concerned with the forestry practices in Nova Scotia. AGRG has received previous funding from NFA, under their research mandate, to develop models for predicting rare plants and also to define and map ecosites. This research can be enhanced under this NSERC application. Nova Scotia Community College. (NSCC). The NSCC has a track record for applied research in particular through AGRG. They make a contribution through funding Research Scientist positions at the Annapolis Valley Campus. Optech Inc. Optech, located in Toronto, are a Canadian world leader in LiDAR technology. They employ over 200 staff. Under our third CFI we intend to purchase LiDAR technology to develop application research and to deliver a new LIDAR applications curriculum. Scotia Weather Services Inc. (SWSI). SWSI, as a spin off company from Seimac Inc., has as its primary business, weather forecasting. They have an interest in the climate network maintained by AGRG in the Annapolis Valley and the integration of these data sets with existing fine scale atmospheric models for precision local weather forecasting in support of agriculture and forestry operations. AGRG has an interest in knowledge exchange and access to the hierarchy of atmospheric models. SWSI is located in Dartmouth. West Valley Development Authority (WVDA). WVDA is located in Cornwallis Business Park. They have a mandate for community economic development in Annapolis and Digby counties. AGRG has previously collaborated with WVDA on niche agriculture funded under the CARCI program. State specific objectives of the proposal and describe in detail the planned activities We have identified the following objectives: to establish business incubation centre on the Annapolis Valley campus in Middleton to continue conducting applied research relevant to the needs of rural Nova Scotia and beyond to ensure technology transfer of Environmental and Geomatics technologies into the region to deliver HQP from LiDAR applications and Environmental Technologies programs in support of the labour needs of local, regional and national industry to produce customized software for landscape monitoring and assessment to assist environmental consulting firms in best practices for use of these technologies in landscape assessment and restoration e.g. wetlands, farm land, forest land. 6

8 Planned Activities Under the Business Incubation Centre (BIC), there are three types of partnership with the private sector: prototyping value added products from existing data sets; providing access to new technologies for Atlantic Geomatics companies; knowledge exchange between partners on science and technology e.g. climate models, precision agriculture and aquaculture, water quality and quantity. The vehicles for knowledge exchange will be the formal AGRG research series of publications, national and international workshops, new training courses and programs and partnership agreements between NSCC and the private sector. To meet the above objectives, we envisage the following steps. a) To use new CFI funding to acquire our LiDAR system; we shall deploy our existing or enhanced digital aerial photographic system b) To expand our AGRG Research Scientists to include plant community/vegetation cover/restoration specialist c) To recruit additional AGR graduate students in conjunction with the needs of our private sector partners. They shall build the DEM for the Annapolis Valley. Fly any needed aerial photography. Develop vegetation cover maps in consultation with the Vegetation specialist. Develop valueadded prototypes for industry. d) To work with the Departments of Environmental Science and Physics (Material Sciences) at Acadia University and a local electronics company to prototype new instrumentation e) To calibrate and install new instrumentation f) To design and develop new applications software. g) To partner with local Geomatics industry on business opportunities for LiDAR and digital aerial photography products and services h) To develop new curricula for LIDAR applications and Environmental Technologies programs. i) The latter shall be linked with the Environmental Sciences programs at Dalhousie and Acadia Universities. Task Name Hire Vegetation Specialist Recruit Graduates for Research Stipend Create Business Incubation Centre Template for AGRG, Research Series Partnership Policies: Data Exchange Technology Access Knowledge Exchange LiDAR Applications Program Environmental Technologies Program New AIF Proposal Workshop, Summer Institute Business Incubation Conferences/Publications

9 Explain who will carry out these activities, their current function and their role in the proposed activities We expect to bring on board a new Research Scientist in Plant Communities and Vegetation Restoration (Heather Stewart). The other researchers will make in kind contributions to the project through FTEs. 1) Instrumentation: David Colville FTE ) Vegetation Restoration: Heather Stewart. FTE 0.8 3) Curriculum Design: Bob Maher FTE: 0.2 4) LiDAR research: Chris Hopkinson FTE 0.1 5) Terrain Analysis: Tim Webster FTE 0.1 6) GIS software development: David Colville FTE We will support NSERC Research Stipends each year. The number will be depend on the matching contributions from industry Year 1 Build spatial database; vegetation mapping ;aerial photography; design new instrumentation; develop value added prototypes Year 2 Instrument prototyping and testing; vegetation mapping; GIS software development LiDAR applications program Year 3 GIS analysis and modeling; restoration plans; Environmental Technologies program Describe how students will be involved. Students will enroll in the AGR program with support from NSERC research stipend. These students will conduct applied research that shall include data acquisition, GIS database development, consultation and value added prototypes in association with industry. The number of students is contingent on the needs and matching funds from the private sector Describe the potential benefits to the local economy and quality of life The local economy benefits in the following ways: a) Business Incubation Centre will be located at the Annapolis Valley Campus to promote both local business entrepreneurial activities and to attract outside business investment. This will create new jobs locally. b) AGRG will conduct applied research on issues relevant to the local community. This creates community awareness. c) new Geomatics related technology will be brought into the region. d) new programs will be delivered at NSCC that will increase the supply of HQP. e) new tools, techniques and training will be marketed nationally and internationally. The quality of life will be enhanced because: a) the community will have a better understanding of environmental health issues b) there will be a strengthened relationship between the WVDA and NSCC c) there will be more economic opportunity in the region through the business incubation centre. 8

10 Justify the need for increasing the current level of activity, and describe the impact on the current level of activity. After four years AGRG is in the position to provide more assistance to the private sector and to create employment opportunities locally in the Annapolis valley. To meet these objectives, we must add new resources to handle the demands of business incubation and knowledge exchange and at the same time we need to support our core science and technology group. We are seeking funding to add environmental assessment skills and to reorganize our structure to work more closely with the private sector. Active Funded Projects Canada Foundation for Innovation Geomatics Research Along the Atlantic Coastal Zone with Multi Disciplinary Applications to Sustainable Resource Development, March 1999 ** Canada Foundation for Innovation Applied Geomatics Research Network for Maritime Sustainable Development, May 2001 ** Atlantic Innovation Fund Developing A Coastal Zone Decision Support System For Disaster Management, September 2001 ** Canadian Institute of Health Research An Evaluation of the Utility of National Information Sources for Developing A Baseline Data Set on the Health of Rural Canadians, September 2001* Climate Change Action Fund Coastal Impacts of Climate Change and Sea Level Rise on Prince Edward Island, 2001 * Species At Risk Biogeography and Landscape Ecology research for Atlantic Coastal Plain flora and other species at risk in Kejimkujik National Park and National Historic Site, December 2001 ** Atlantic Canada Petroleum Institute Evaluating Geomatics Technologies for Environmental Effects Monitoring in the Offshore Environment, March 2002 ** Climate Change Action Fund Impacts of Sea Level Rise and Climate Change on the Coastal Zone of Southeastern New Brunswick, October 2002 * Atlantic Innovation Fund Environmental Technologies & Precision Agriculture Initiative, November 2002* Canadian Agricultural Rural Communities Initiative Research into microclimatic and soil variables in Nova Scotia s Annapolis Valley to identify potential new crops, March * Nova Forest Alliance Developing & testing spatial/knowledge based models for ecosite mapping & rare species habitat prediction, April ** Canada Foundation for Innovation Environmental Health Applications of Geomatics, May 2003** Canadian Institute of Health Research The Changing physical and social landscape in Atlantic rural Canada. December 2003 * Key: * successful proposal, NSCC collaborator ** successful NSCC proposal 9