Monitoring Forests
The geographical locations and isolation of most of our rainforests make the monitoring of forest assets very difficult. Satellite technology provides us a very useful tool to measuring the forest cover density and also illegal and deforestation activities. The technology is however expensive and requires logistical and security measures implemented on the ground.
Technology advances now play major roles in the securing of boarder and forest boundaries through sensor technology. The CAA, continue to work with advanced manufacturers of underground and satellite sensors that can detect human and vehicle movements within its boundaries. Through RF wireless and satellite technology surveillance systems can produce an immediate response to any illegal activities.
Monitoring is also an essential part of the process of identifying that the forest assets remain intact as with its bio-diversity. This monitoring process is required to be done by a third party independent certification agency. The monitoring process can also provide a “Chain of Custody” Certificate for selected timber which is an indispensable tool to link supplies of certified forests to consumer demand. The same would apply for Offset providers and forest offsets and the sale of Voluntary Emission reductions (VER’s).
UNEP/GRID-Arendal, Deforestation in West Africa: Case Cote-d'Ivoire, UNEP/GRID-Arendal Maps and Graphics Library, http://maps.grida.no/go/graphic/deforestation_in_
west_africa_case_cote_d_ivoire
(Accessed 21 September 2008)
