Shared Knowledge for Decision-Making on Environment and Health Issues in the Arctic

GoddardSpace Flight Center

Association of World Reindeer Herders

Shared Knowledge for Decision-Making on Environment and

Health Issues in the Arctic

Nancy G. Maynard, Ph.D.Associate Director, Environment & Health

NASA Goddard Space Flight Center

Boris S. Yurchak, Ph.D.Senior Research Scientist, Goddard Earth Sciences & Technology Center

Johan Mathis TuriPresident, Association of World Reindeer Herders (WRH)

October 28, 2003

RADARSATGlobal View of the Arctic Ocean Credit : NASA JPL, University of Alaska - Fairbanks

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“…to promote a new kind of science where traditional knowledge is

integrated into the management of the natural environment in the

Arctic.”

Johan Mathis TuriPresident, Association of World Reindeer Herders

2002

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Outline of Talk

• Integrating Traditional Knowledge into the Management of the Natural Environment in the Arctic

• The Issue

• Primary Factors Impacting Health of Indigenous Peoples of the North

• What is “Reindeer Mapper” (RM)

• Why NASA

• The RM System for Shared Knowledge for Decision-making

• Reindeer Mapper Project – Status

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The Issue• Drastic changes in the economy, climate and environment

creating critical situations in reindeer husbandry

• The health and well-being of indigenous peoples (reindeer herders) of the Russian North are directly dependent upon the state of reindeer husbandry

– Social: Economic & Cultural Impacts – Reindeer Herders• Health Care Problems: Lack of access to healthcare and other services (country

economics)

– Climate/Environment Impact – Reindeer and Herders• Changes in snow/ice cover/permafrost/freeze-thaw and availability/quality of

pastures and forage; interrupted migration routes; increased insect harassment

• Loss of pasture land due to industrial developments (e.g. oil and gas pipelines)

• Contamination of pastures, snow, ground, lakes, river waters (mining, pollution)

• Increasing number of predators

– Education Issues• Lack of access to education/schools/materials for reindeer herders’ children so

that they can remain with family/herders but still obtain education (policies, resources)

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Remote Sensing (RS) Indicators of Human Health Related Problems

• Family• Employme

nt• Habitation• Food• Healthcare• Spare time• Rest

Human Health

Environmental Factor(s)

Indicator Phenomena

RS Detection

Physical Biological Conditions of Life

Social Factor(s)

RS detection

Human Health

Caused by Environmental Factors

Caused by Social Factors

Indicator Phenomena

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Main Factors Impacting the Health of Indigenous Peoples of the Russian North

Health of Indigenous Peoples of Russian North

Access to Healthcare

Diet Style and Social-Culture

Behavior

Reindeer Husbandry

state

Social-Economic State of People

Forms of Ownership and Management

Climate Change

Anthropogenic Factors

Life Style

Area of NASA’s possible contribution

Ecological Factors

Veterinary

Services

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What Is ReindeerMapper?

Management Support System for Sustainable Reindeer Husbandry

Purpose of ReindeerMapper

This system is to bring indigenous traditional and local knowledge together with scientific and engineering knowledge, remote sensing and information technologies to address environment, weather, climate, pollution and land use change issues for improved decision making for sustainable reindeer husbandry and as a bottom line - to improve the quality of life of reindeer herders.

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Management Support System ”ReindeerMapper”

Remote Sensing Information

Traditional Ecological Knowledge

Decision Maker

Other related information

GIS

Decision Support

Making Subsystem

(DMSS)

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Management Support System “ReindeerMapper“

(Remote Sensing Components)

RS Measurement

Information-analytical

Reindeer Husbandry Management

Educational

• Land observing satellites

• Platforms: circular, sun-synchronous orbit

• Sensors: multispectral radiometers with middle/high spatial resolution; passive microwave radiometer; synthetic aperture radar

• Satellite Telemetry System

- GIS

- DMSS

- Communication system

LEVELS OF REINDEER HUSBANDRY MANAGEMENT- LOCAL- REGIONAL- FEDERAL

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Management Data Gaps for Domesticated Reindeers of Northern Russia

• Condition of pastures– Forage stock– Overgrazing– Contamination– Fire scars

• Snow cover parameters • Permafrost• State of annual migration pathways

– Ice conditions, lakes, rivers, etc.– Anthropogenic disturbances (e.g. oil and gas

infrastructure- pipelines, drill sites; oil/contaminants spills; fire scars etc.)

– Meteorological conditions

• Wild reindeer herds locations

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Why NASA? – Technology PossibilitiesNASA could provide user-friendly, regularly-updated, remotely sensed, information on a number of critical parameters and changes (to be combined with TK and local information) for more informed herd management:

– Depth and characteristics of snow cover in traditional and new migration routes of herds

– Condition of ice on rivers and other water bodies in migratory routes

– Ecological characterization of traditional summer and winter pastures and annual migration routes – and assessment of their ecological suitability as pasture

– Assessment of anthropogenic impacts on migration routes and pasture lands of interest, including environmental contamination and infrastructure development

– Detection, monitoring, and status of annual forest fires and associated burned areas in pasture and migration areas of interest

– Development of techniques for monitoring favorable conditions for growth of mosquitoes (and other blood-sucking insects) relevant to potential for reindeer harassment and spread of infectious diseases

– Seasonal assessment of migratory routes for herds

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Example of Fire Detection by MODIS

Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) composite of western Russia, 4 September 2002

Heat signatures (red) and smoke plumes (light blue haze) are visible from the fires. True-color image by Moderate-resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS), resolution 250m.

Source: NASA Earth Observatory http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/natural_hazards_v2.php3?img_id=4743

Credit: Image by Jesse Allen, based on data from the MODIS Rapid Response Team at NASA-GSFC

Satellite & Sensor: Terra-

MODIS

http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/natural_hazards_v2.php3?img_id=4743

http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/natural_hazards_v2.php3?img_id=4743

http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/

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Example of SAR Detection of a Forest Fire Scar

ERS-1 SAR scene (08/23/91) of the Bettles region, located about 290 km NNW of Fairbanks. A forest fire scar resulting from a fire in 1990 is visible due to its strong backscatter/bright tone. (Alaska SAR Facility ERS-1 SAR Image Sampler, 2001)

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Credit: Eric R. Conrad, Deputy, Field OperationsPennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection

Reindeer Mapper

GIS Database

• Reindeer Herder Data/Knowledge

• Remote Sensing/Science and Technology, Data and Information

• Other Information/Sources

Data Acquisition Partner Web

Communication/Outreach

Data Integration

Maps/Reports and Analysis

• Historical• Real

Time

• Reindeer Mapper Team

Reindeer Mapper System

Concept

Conference “Center”

• World Center for Sustainable Reindeer Herding

• Teleconferences

Traditional/Local

Knowledge/Data

Arctic Data

Archives

NASA/Remot

e Sensing Data

Arctic Science

Institutions

Knowledge transfer between traditional/local knowledge and scientific knowledgeGIS Research Centre, Institute of

Geography, Russian Academy of Sciences



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Reindeer Mapper (RM): Initial Steps in Creating a Shared Knowledge System for

Decision-Making• Selection of Highest Priority Pilot Project Test Sites

• Acquisition of data from all sources (field observations, RS, etc.)

• Development of GIS for Pilot Project Test Sites

• Integration of information from all RM partners into common GIS– Reindeer Herders– NASA and other remote sensing sources– Other data sources

• Adaptation of existing NASA GIS based system which facilitates the sharing the diverse data sets by all participants which also allows real time access and interconnectivity with remote sites

• Develop data base and archive for current and historical data, observations, and knowledge for parameters of interest

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For further information:Dr. Nancy G. MaynardAssociate DirectorNASA Goddard Space Flight CenterMail Code 900Greenbelt, MD 20771Tel: (301) 614-6572email: Nancy.G. [email protected]

Dr. Boris Yurchak Senior Research ScientistGoddard Earth Sciences & Technology Center (GEST), Mail Code 900NASA Goddard Space Flight CenterGreenbelt, MD 20771 USATel:(301) 614-5898 email: [email protected]

Johan Mathis Turi, PresidentAssociation of World Reindeer HerdersGronnegata 23 P.O. Box 508 N-9255 Tromsø, Norway Tel: +47 77 656 400 email: [email protected]

RADARSATGlobal View of the Arctic Ocean Credit : NASA JPL, University of Alaska - Fairbanks

mailto:Nancy.G.%[email protected]





mailto:[email protected]








Shared Knowledge for Decision-Making on Environment and Health Issues in the Arctic

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