-------- Original Message --------
Subject:        U.S.-Canadian Science Pact to Improve Monitoring of Land
Cover, Biodiversity, Climate Change
Date:   Wed, 31 Jan 2007 14:46:33 -0500
From:   Karen Renee Wood <[log in to unmask]>
To:     maps-l








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: [log in to unmask]