Satellite Images and GIS support conservations in Virunga National Park

To support the ongoing GIS mapping projects for the assessment, management and monitoring of the Mountain Gorilla Habitat and the Land Changes in around the National Parks, 1m Natural Color IKONOS Satellite Image mosaic has been produced by
Satellite Imaging Corporation (SIC) in cooperation with GeoEye Foundation (formerly Space Imaging). The area covered were the Virunga National Park in Congo, Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda and the Rwenzori Mountains National Park in Uganda.

Increased human population often leads to greater influence on the environment and sharper declines in species and ecosystems.High resolution satellites images can directly observe species and their habitat on the ground and in their environment used in tandem with GIS Mapping which allows researchers to predict the best remaining areas to protect and manage. Satellite data facilitates the production of global land use and land cover maps, and GIS allows researchers to integrate satellite and population data efficiently.

Source : http://news.satimagingcorp.com