Threatened and Endangered Species Surveillance in Inaccessible Areas: A Feasibility Study
Abstract
Monitoring threatened and endangered species on Army installations is not always feasible with respect to the areas that are either inaccessible or have limited times for entry. When biologists are unable to enter an area freely for periodic surveys, it prevents normal application of standard methods, which results in the data being unavailable for reporting either management successes or problems. If these species are present in the inaccessible area, they cannot be credited toward management goals. The total population of the installation is assumed to be smaller, which can result in unnecessary expense and greater regulatory interference. This research examines each of the four broad categories of platforms (1) remote sensing, (2) airfoil aircraft, (3) lighter-than-air craft, and (4) ground surveillance instrumentation for remote or non-intrusive acquisition of data relevant to these species. The data might be of any nature, including spatial relevance, sound, presence or absence, or other categories. Some technologies, such as satellite and aerial imagery, continue to fill important niches, which are generally well understood. The overall conclusion of this survey was that there are no fully satisfactory, affordable platforms that can provide the full set of data acquisition needs for inaccessible areas.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Nov 01, 2007
- Accession Number
- ADA478347
Entities
People
- Donald Pitts
- Harol Balbach
- Scott Tweddale
- William Meyer
Organizations
- Engineer Research and Development Center