Use of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (drones) in data collection and processing for assisted natural re…

Innovation methods

Data sources

SDG(s)

Sustainable Development Goal(s)

13Climate action

15Life on land

16Peace, justice and strong institutions

Disclaimer:

Please be aware that the content herein has not been peer reviewed. It consists of personal reflections, insights, and learnings of the contributor(s). It may not be exhaustive, nor does it aim to be authoritative knowledge.

Title

Please provide a name for your action learning plan.

Pilot for the use of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (drones) in data collection and processing for assisted natural regeneration of indigenous forests in the Lower Zambezi region.

Challenge statement

Challenge type: If you are working on multiple challenges, please indicate if this is your "big bet" or "exploratory" challenge. Please note: we ask you to only submit a maximum of 3 challenges - 1x Big Bet, 2x Exploratory. Each challenge must be submitted individually.

EXPLORATORY

Challenge statement: What is your challenge? (Please answer in specific terms: "Our challenge is that...”.)

The GEF project working with the Forestry Commission of Zimbabwe is promoting the integrated landscape of managing wildlife resources, carbon and the ecosystem services in the face of climate change in the protected areas and community lands of the Mid to Lower Zambezi. Our challenge is that the Forestry Commission needed data on resource mapping and tree planting but did not have the means to do it in an accelerated manner. The Accelerator Lab saw the opportunity to test the use of drones to collect this data to assist GEF and the Forestry Commission in effectively mapping on going activities.

Background: What is the history of your challenge? What is causing or driving it? Who is involved? How does the current situation look like? What undesired effects does it produce?

The GEF project and the Forestry Commission are working on assisted natural regeneration which refers to interventions aimed at accelerating the natural regeneration of native forests by eliminating or reducing barriers to natural succession. As the effects of climate change have worsened in the Zambezi region, the rate of forest loss has increased leading to loss of biodiversity, flora and fauna and change in soil quality. To mitigate this, GEF and Forestry Commission plan to plant over 2 million trees however to do this effectively they need GIS and mapping data.

Quantitative evidence: What (official) data sources do you have on this challenge that better exemplifies the importance and urgency of this frontier challenge? You can add text, a link, or a picture.

Qualitative evidence: What weak signals have you recently spotted that characterizes its urgency? Please provide qualitative information that better exemplifies the importance and urgency of this frontier challenge. You can add text, a link, or a picture.

https://earth.org/approved-mine-in-lower-zambezi-national-park-threatens-africas-most-important-river-basin/ https://www.wbcsd.org/download/file/16131#:~:text=Some%20of%20Edson's%20neighbors%20have,and%20making%20farming%20even%20harder.

Value proposition: What added value or unique value proposition is your Accelerator Lab bringing to solving this challenge? Why is it your Lab that needs to work on this challenge and not other actors within UNDP, other stakeholders in the country respectively? Why is it worth investing resources to this challenge?

As the Accelerator Lab we created a drone strategy for the office and we felt that the scope of work required by GEF and Forestry Commission can be done effectively and at an accelerated rate through drone technology which the team had experience in.

Short “tweet” summary: We would like to tweet what you are working on, can you summarize your challenge in a maximum of 280 characters?

Accelerator Lab Zimbabwe is using drone technology for tree planting and resource mapping to mitigate the effects of climate change through forestry loss in partnership with GEF and Forestry Commission.

Challenge classification

Partners

Who are your top 5 partners for this challenge? Please submit from MOST to LEAST important and state Name, Sector and a brief description of the (intended) collaboration.

Please state the name of the Parter:

Ministry of Environment Forestry Commission GEF Project

What sector does our partner belong to?

Government (&related)

Please provide a brief description of the collaboration.

Pilot for the use of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (drones) in data collection and processing for assisted natural regeneration of indigenous forests in the Lower Zambezi region.

Is this a new and unusual partner for UNDP?

Learning questions

Learning question: What is your learning question for this challenge? What do you need to know or understand to work on your challenge statement?

If we use drone technology will we be able to gather topographical and GIS data to assist in the process of assisted natural regeneration of indigenous forests in the Lower Zambezi region.

To what stage(s) in the learning cycle does your learning question relate?

Test

Usage of methods: Relating to your choice above, how will you use your methods & tools for this learning question? What value do these add in answering your learning question?

We co-create this process of drone data collection with GEF and the Forestry Commission by using drones as a proof of concept technology to collect forest mapping and tree planting data. this would be done by piloting in the Lower Zambezi region using Scout Ariel AI enabled drones as a prototype.

Existing data gaps: Relating to your choice above, what existing gaps in data or information do these new sources of data addressing? What value do these add in answering your learning question?

The drone data will fill the gap in GIS and topographical data which will assist in assisted natural regeneration.

Closing

Early leads to grow: Think about the possible grow phase for this challenge - who might benefit from your work on this challenge or who might be the champions in your country that you should inform or collaborate with early on to help you grow this challenge?

The growth phase is the use of this technology in other areas of Zimbabwe that are under areas selected for assisted natural regeneration and the greatest beneficiary will be the Forestry Commission and the Ministry of Environment.

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