Office of the Secretary
Contact: Shane Wolfe, DOI, 202-208-6416
For Immediate Release:
Karen Wood, DOI, USGS, 703-648-4447
January 31, 2007
Ghyslain
Charron, NRC, 613-992-4447
Kathleen Olson, NRC, 613-996-2007
U.S.-Canadian Science Pact to Improve Monitoring
of Land Cover, Biodiversity, Climate Change
WASHINGTON – The Department of the Interior’s U.S. Geological Survey
and Natural Resources Canada have launched a high-tech satellite mapping
initiative that can better monitor changes in the combined land cover of
two of the world’s largest nations.
Using infrared, radar relief and other remote sensing techniques, the partnership
will produce integrated information that will help natural resource managers
to better assess the health of landscapes, cross border wildland fire risks,
changes in biodiversity and the effects of climate change on permafrost.
This improved data will enable managers to develop more effective land
management policies.
“Natural processes like wildland fires do not stop at the border, so this
type of information is critical for identifying land-cover trends,” said
U.S. Secretary of the Interior Dirk Kempthorne. “This new international
partnership will build on the expertise of both the U.S. and Canadian science
agencies and lead to a more comprehensive and standardized monitoring of
North America’s land cover.”
“This agreement reflects a lengthy history of joint research and mutual
collaboration between our two countries,” said the Honourable Gary Lunn,
Canada’s Minister of Natural Resources. “Working together, this partnership
will allow us to share information and maximize our scientific knowledge
so that we can better monitor the changes of our land, including the permafrost
areas in the North.”
Land cover is the product of both natural processes and human influences.
Land cover information is essential for a wide variety of issues
such as: assessing ecosystem status and health; understanding spatial patterns
of biodiversity; land use planning; and developing land management policy.
Human modification of land cover has important implications for environmental
quality, as well as natural resource availability, quality and use.
The agreement involves a dynamic land-cover monitoring system for all of
North America and the development of permafrost modeling applications.
There are also future projects planned for longer-term collaboration
on the development of radar applications.
The land-cover mapping initiative will be useful to both countries, for
the tri-national (including Mexico) Commission for Environmental Cooperation,
as well as for international initiatives jointly undertaken by members
of the Group on Earth Observations (GEO). One of many examples of how unified
North American land-cover mapping may be used is in monitoring wildfire
risk across national borders.
Collaborative efforts in the development of permafrost applications will
focus first on the mapping of the Yukon River Basin. A key application
in joint permafrost mapping will be assessing the impacts of climate change
on human settlements, physical infrastructure, and ecosystems in both countries.
The USGS serves the United States by providing reliable scientific information
and Earth observations to describe and understand the Earth; minimize loss
of life and property from natural disasters; manage water, biological,
energy and mineral resources; and enhance and protect our quality of life.
Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) plays a pivotal role in helping
shape the important contributions of the natural resources sector to the
Canadian economy, society and environment.
NRCan’s news releases and backgrounders are available at www.nrcan.gc.ca/media.
-- www.doi.gov --
Karen Wood
Public Affairs Specialist
U.S. Geological Survey, Office of Communications
703-648-4447
Fax: 703-648-4466
Email: kwood@xxxxxxxx
