Georeferencing for Conservation: Enhancing Environmental Awareness

Emma, a conservationist, is tasked with restoring a community park that houses endangered species. To ensure the restoration aligns with sustainability goals, she must accurately map out the park’s ecosystem using satellite imagery. By georeferencing the image with real-time environmental data, Emma can make informed decisions about land use and natural features.

Goal: Georeference a satellite image and overlay it with current environmental data for improved restoration planning.

Georeferencing is the process of aligning geographic data (such as satellite images) to a specific coordinate system (latitude, longitude) using known reference points. This ensures that the data accurately reflects its real-world location, making it possible to overlay various datasets (like land use or biodiversity) on top of one another.

Step 1: Upload the Satellite Image

Log into Fuse.Earth.

Click the Geobar dropdown and select the File Manager (local) to upload the satellite image of the community park.

Once the image is uploaded, it will appear on the map. The image will load at the (0,0) coordinates in the basemap, and a raster layer will be created on the Geotower.

On the CSFDI buttons, the “C” Connection button will be greyed out, indicating that the raster file is not yet georeferenced.

Step 2: Define Georeferencing Points

Click on the satellite image to select it.

Click the Georeferencing button situated in the Geosole section on the right-hand side of the bottom center buttons.

This will activate the georeferencing mode.

Click the Preview button on the raster layer.

Once clicked, the georeferencing panel will slide in from the left-hand side with the raster image loaded.

Identify key landmarks (features with known coordinates) on both the satellite image and the base map (e.g., park boundaries, trails, water sources).

Mark these as georeferencing points to align the image with real-world coordinates.

Position the basemap to the desired location and click on the point in the basemap or the panel to add Point1.

When Point1 is added to the image panel, reference that point to the basemap.

A corresponding Point1 will appear on the basemap, and all values will be captured in the table on the Georeferencing panel.

Reference additional points. If you add a third point, the application will automatically place it on the basemap, and the raster image will be aligned accordingly.

Click the Save button located at the top right corner of the Georeferencing panel to save the georeferenced image.

The data will be saved, and the “C” on the raster layer will be colored, indicating that the layer is now georeferenced.

Step 3: Align the Satellite Image

Using the georeferencing points, align the satellite image with the base map.

Adjust the image’s position, rotation, and scale until the key landmarks match up accurately. This ensures the satellite image reflects the correct geographic location.

Step 4: Overlay Environmental Data

Once georeferenced, add layers containing environmental data, such as biodiversity zones, endangered species habitats, and ecosystem services.

Assess how the park’s current ecosystem aligns with these areas. Overlaying data allows Emma to compare different features and make decisions based on multiple factors, such as habitat needs and restoration priorities.

Step 5: Save the Georeferenced Map

After alignment, save your work.

Export the georeferenced map as a detailed report for planning purposes.

Step 6: Share with Stakeholders

Use Fuse.Earth’s collaboration features to share your georeferenced map and environmental data with stakeholders involved in the restoration project.

Sharing this map allows team members to make informed decisions, ensuring the restoration process is consistent and collaborative.

Step 7: Monitor and Adjust

As restoration progresses, use Fuse.Earth to track environmental changes and adjust the restoration plan based on new data.

This ongoing monitoring ensures that the park’s ecosystem is improving and that the restoration aligns with conservation goals.

In this tutorial, you learned how to georeference a satellite image and overlay environmental data using Fuse.Earth. By following these steps, Emma can ensure the restoration process aligns with conservation goals, protecting endangered species and preserving the ecosystem for future generations. Georeferencing helps make sense of complex data by ensuring all maps and environmental information are accurately aligned to real-world coordinates, supporting better decision-making in conservation efforts. This process enables more informed planning and monitoring, ensuring that the restoration is sustainable and effective in preserving the environment.

Your Feedback Matters: Help Us Improve

We’d love to hear your thoughts on this tutorial! Please share what you found helpful or what could be improved. If something didn’t work, kindly let us know the specific issue, along with the section name and step number where you encountered it. Your feedback helps us enhance the experience!