Shared Knowledge for Decision-Making on Environment and Health Issues in the Arctic RADARSAT Global View of the Arctic Ocean Credit : NASA JPL, University of Alaska - Fairbanks Nancy G. Maynard, Ph.D. Associate Director, Environment & Health NASA Boris S. Yurchak, Ph.D. Senior Research Scientist, Earth Sciences & Technology Johan Mathis Turi President, Association (WRH) October 28, 2003
to promote a new kind of science where traditional knowledge is integrated into the management of the natural environment in the Arctic. Johan Mathis Turi President, Association 2002 2
Outline of Talk Integrating Traditional Knowledge into the Management of the Natural Environment in the Arctic The Issue Primary Factors Impacting Health of Indigenous Peoples of the North What is Mapper (RM) Why NASA The RM System for Shared Knowledge for Decisionmaking Mapper Project Status 3
The Issue Drastic changes in the economy, climate and environment creating critical situations in reindeer husbandry The health and well-being of indigenous peoples (reindeer herders) of the Russian North are directly dependent upon the state of reindeer husbandry Social: Economic & Cultural Impacts Health Care Problems: Lack of access to healthcare and other services (country economics) Climate/Environment Impact and Changes in snow/ice cover/permafrost/freeze-thaw and availability/quality of pastures and forage; interrupted migration routes; increased insect harassment Loss of pasture land due to industrial developments (e.g. oil and gas pipelines) Contamination of pastures, snow, ground, lakes, river waters (mining, pollution) Increasing number of predators Education Issues Lack of access to education/schools/materials for reindeer herders children so that they can remain with family/herders but still obtain education (policies, resources) 4
Remote Sensing (RS) Indicators of Human Health Related Problems Caused by Environmental Factors Caused by Social Factors Human Health Physical Biological Environmental Factor(s) Human Health Conditions of Life Social Factor(s) Family Employment Habitation Food Healthcare Spare time Rest Indicator Phenomena RS Detection Indicator Phenomena RS detection 5
Main Factors Impacting the Health of Indigenous Peoples of the Russian North Access to Healthcare Health of Indigenous Peoples of Russian North Diet Style and Social- Culture Behavior Life Style Veterinary Services Social-Economic State of People Husbandry state Anthropogenic Factors Forms of Ownership and Management Climate Change Ecological Factors Area of NASA s possible contribution 6
What Is Mapper? Management Support System for Sustainable Husbandry Purpose of Mapper This system is to bring indigenous traditional and local knowledge together with scientific and engineering knowledge, remote sensing and information technologies to address environment, weather, climate, pollution and land use change issues for improved decision making for sustainable reindeer husbandry and as a bottom line - to improve the quality of life of reindeer herders. 7
Management Support System Mapper Other related information Remote Sensing Information Traditional Ecological Knowledge GIS Decision Making Support Subsystem (DMSS) Decision Maker 8
Management Support System Mapper (Remote Sensing Components) Educational RS Measurement Informationanalytical Land observing satellites Platforms: circular, sunsynchronous orbit Sensors: multispectral radiometers with middle/high spatial resolution; passive microwave radiometer; synthetic aperture radar Satellite Telemetry System - GIS - DMSS - Communication system Husbandry Management LEVELS OF REINDEER HUSBANDRY MANAGEMENT - LOCAL - REGIONAL - FEDERAL 9
Management Data Gaps for Domesticated s of Northern Russia Condition of pastures Forage stock Overgrazing Contamination Fire scars Snow cover parameters Permafrost State of annual migration pathways Ice conditions, lakes, rivers, etc. Anthropogenic disturbances (e.g. oil and gas infrastructurepipelines, drill sites; oil/contaminants spills; fire scars etc.) Meteorological conditions Wild reindeer herds locations 10
Why NASA? Technology Possibilities NASA could provide user-friendly, regularly-updated, remotely sensed, information on a number of critical parameters and changes (to be combined with TK and local information) for more informed herd management: Depth and characteristics of snow cover in traditional and new migration routes of herds Condition of ice on rivers and other water bodies in migratory routes Ecological characterization of traditional summer and winter pastures and annual migration routes and assessment of their ecological suitability as pasture Assessment of anthropogenic impacts on migration routes and pasture lands of interest, including environmental contamination and infrastructure development Detection, monitoring, and status of annual forest fires and associated burned areas in pasture and migration areas of interest Development of techniques for monitoring favorable conditions for growth of mosquitoes (and other blood-sucking insects) relevant to potential for reindeer harassment and spread of infectious diseases Seasonal assessment of migratory routes for herds 11
Example of Fire Detection by MODIS Satellite & Sensor: Terra- MODIS Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) composite of western Russia, 4 September 2002 Heat signatures (red) and smoke plumes (light blue haze) are visible from the fires. True-color image by Moderate-resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS), resolution 250m. Source: NASA Earth Observatory http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/naturalhazards/nat ural_hazards_v2.php3?img_id=4743 Credit: Image by Jesse Allen, based on data from the MODIS Rapid Response Team at NASA-GSFC 12
Example of SAR Detection of a Forest Fire Scar ERS-1 SAR scene (08/23/91) of the Bettles region, located about 290 km NNW of Fairbanks. A forest fire scar resulting from a fire in 1990 is visible due to its strong backscatter/bright tone. (Alaska SAR Facility ERS- 1 SAR Image Sampler, 2001) 13
Credit: Eric R. Conrad, Deputy, Field Operations Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection 14
Data Acquisition Herder Data/Knowledge Remote Sensing/Science and Technology, Data and Information Other Information/Sources Data Integration Mapper System Concept Mapper GIS Database Partner Web Mapper Team Conference World for Sustainable Herding Teleconferences Traditional/Local Knowledge/Data Historical Real Time Arctic Data Archives NASA/ Remote Sensing Data Arctic Science Institutions Maps/Reports and Analysis GIS Research Centre, Institute of Geography, Russian Academy of Sciences Communication/ Outreach Knowledge transfer between traditional/ local knowledge and scientific knowledge
Mapper (RM): Initial Steps in Creating a Shared Knowledge System for Decision-Making Selection of Highest Priority Pilot Project Test Sites Acquisition of data from all sources (field observations, RS, etc.) Development of GIS for Pilot Project Test Sites Integration of information from all RM partners into common GIS NASA and other remote sensing sources Other data sources Adaptation of existing NASA GIS based system which facilitates the sharing the diverse data sets by all participants which also allows real time access and interconnectivity with remote sites Develop data base and archive for current and historical data, observations, and knowledge for parameters of interest 16
Dr. Nancy G. Maynard Associate Director NASA Mail Code 900 Greenbelt, MD 20771 Tel: (301) 614-6572 email: Nancy.G. Maynard@nasa.gov Dr. Boris Yurchak Senior Research Scientist Earth Sciences & Technology (GEST), Mail Code 900 NASA Greenbelt, MD 20771 USA Tel:(301) 614-5898 email: boris_yurchak@hotmail.com For further information: Johan Mathis Turi, President Association Gronnegata 23 P.O. Box 508 N-9255 Tromsø, Norway Tel: +47 77 656 400 email: wrh.jmt@online.no RADARSAT Global View of the Arctic Ocean Credit : NASA JPL, University of Alaska - Fairbanks 17