MangroveWatch Shoreline Video Assessment (S-VAM)

Jock Mackenzie & Norm Duke CoDirector – MangroveWatch Ltd. Mangrove Hub Coordinator - JCU www.mangrovewatch.org.au mangrovewatch@gmail.com

MangroveWatch Shoreline Video Assessment (S-VAM)

Part 1: Introduction to S-VAM How S-VAM fits into MangroveWatch How to S-VAM Part 2: Data Analysis with S-VAM Brief Introduction to Data Analysis Science & Management Outcomes Part 3: Case Study – Kien Giang Shoreline Assessment

A Mangrove Monitoring Strategy that is

Community driven, Scientifically validated

With Practical outcomes for management

What is MangroveWatch?

Assessing Change Identifying Threats

Empowering Communities

Enhancing scientific knowledge

Informing management solutions

Protecting tidal wetlands

Protecting coastal resources

Informing communities

Gauging management success

Shoreline Video Assessment Method (SVAM)

Continuous Georeferenced Digital

Video Image Recording &

Criteria Based Image Analysis

MangroveWatch – your 6 step cycle

Step 2: Film shoreline

Step 3: Track position

Step 4: Send video and GPS track to mangrove experts

Step 5: Repeat Steps 1 to 4 - every 6 months

Step 6: Feedback on your mangroves health will be sent

back to you

Step 1: Select area of mangroves or

shoreline to monitor

Training & support from mangrove

experts

Data assessment by mangrove

experts

Data collection by you

How does MangroveWatch & S-VAM work?

Community Education & Training

Community Data Collection

No prior mangrove knowledge required.

2x surveys per year

(wet/dry season)

2x Workshops/ year Training and Feedback

Community

How does MW work?

Imagery (video) analysis

Data processing and Outputs

Data transfer from Community to Scientists

Requirements: Mangrove knowledge

Basic Excel and ArcGIS

Management

Science

S-VAMing

How to S-VAM The MangroveWatch Kit

When to go MangroveWatching?

Good Tide – low to mid Good Light – Sunny Film with the sun on

your back 2 surveys per year Ends of Dry & Wet

seasons

The 5 Tasks of S-VAM

1. Handycam Operator 2. GPS Operator 3. Photographer 4. Observer 5. Boat Driver

Handycam Operator Before Filming 1. Check the camera

settings - Time - GPS - Record Mode - Quality - Noise

2. Clean the lens 3. Attachments

Handycam Operator

During Filming 1. Keep the camera stable 2. Watch the shot 3. Maintain distance 4. Keep the lens clean 5. Provide Active

Commentary

GPS Operator

Before Filming 1. Turn the Track log on! 2. Check the track log

memory

GPS Operator

During Filming 1. Check the Track log 2. Keep a clear signal 3. Take waypoints 4. Keep an eye on batteries 5. Watch boat speed *Turn Track Log off when done

Photographer Before Filming 1. Check time & GPS During Filming Just keep clicking! Be creative - there’s prizes to be

won

Observer/ Recorder

1. Record Start/ Stop Locations

2. Waypoints 3. Interesting Features 4. Bird/ Fauna Counts 5. Mangrove User counts 6. Mangrove Phenology

Boat Driver

1. Maintain distance (~50m)

2. Maintain speed (6-10kts) 3. Follow the bends 4. Avoid excessive noise,

vibration, stops and starts

5. Safety First!

You are now ready to go MangroveWatching!

Part 2 Data Analysis with S-VAM

Video converted to 1s frame images

Images linked to GPS track and assessed against Multiple criteria – e.g. Mangrove forest type

Data used to generate map outputs With ArcGIS

Science

BANK FEATURES

BANK MORPHOLOGY

SUBSTRATE

PHYSICAL PROCESS

HABITAT

PRESSURES DIRECT INDIRECT

CUTTING

GRAZING RECENT

REMOVAL

HARDENDED BANK

OPEN DRAIN ADJACENT LANDUSE

BUILT STRUCTURES

LITTER

BOATS

VEGETATION FEATURES

MANGROVE

DENSITY

HEIGHT

DOMINANT SP. DIEBACK

Intensity DIEBACK

Scale

FOREST TYPE

FALLEN TREES

TERRESTRIAL

DENSITY

DOMINANT SP.

EXPOSED ROOTS

HEALTH

FALLEN TREES

HEIGHT

EXPOSED ROOTS

SEEDLING DENSITY

ASSESSING ECOSYSTEM VALUE & CONDITION & Identifying threats & drivers of change

What do we look for? Science

Poor Condition Moderate Condition Good Condition

% M

angr

ove

Estuary Comparisons Outcomes Science

2011

2009

2011

Assessing Resilience to Natural Events Drought Recovery Flood Damage

Feb 2011

Aug 2011

Outcomes Science

1977

2004

Habitat Mapping – Nutrient Effects MangroveWatch Tracks

Using MangroveWatch footage & assessment for ground-truthing

habitat mapping

Outcomes Science

Biomass Assessment Outcomes Science

Groundtruthing Plots Video Assessment +

Biomass (AGB) = 0.168pD^2.47 (Chave et. al. 2005)* No. of Stems

p = Wood Density

D = Stem Diameter = 3.4519*exp(0.0922*Height)

(R2=0.82)

# Stems = 1.1004*exp(0.0133*Height) (R2=0.78)

Use plots to develop local equations

Mangrove Condition Report Cards

Outcomes Management

Identification of Indicators of Change Outcomes

Management

Identifying Poor management & Illegal Activity

Outcomes Management

Targeted Restoration Outcomes

Management

‘ShoreView’

Interactive, online mangrove condition report cards

Prototype innovation

Outcomes Management

Part 3 Case Study

Advantages of the MW approach Community Engagement: • Records local knowledge and locally relevant

issues – anecdotal evidence, historical images, stories

• Enables large spatial coverage • Community education • Community environmental stewardship And many more…

Advantages of the MW methods Video Monitoring: • Easy use. • No objective decision making required in the field • Rapid: 1 hour = ~12km. • Permanent Visual Record • Remote data assessment by mangrove scientists • Potential for further ‘expert’ assessment – bird habitat etc. • Perfect for data visualisation

Lessons Learned so far…. Feedback is essential!

• Requires assessment of footage. • Guaging community knowledge increase

Every region and group is different…

• Level of capacity – different skill sets • What’s considered important – why are you

MangroveWatching? • Local issues vary

The MangroveWatch program is flexible and adaptive

The primary goal is imagery collection for long-term monitoring, everything else is locality dependent

Discussion Session

How can MangroveWatch help you? – What

information would you like to have about shoreline habitats?

Thank You!

Any Questions?