Join Action for Adaptation on a Virtual Scavenger Hunt!
July 25th 2024
Recently, I've been working as the Program Coordinator for the Coastal Douglas-fir Conservation Partnership. We've partnered with UBC Botanical Gardens and UBC Okanagan Earth Observation and Spatial Ecology lab to develop a Biodiversity Atlas as part of the Action for Adaptation team.
The team is seeking volunteers for July and August 2024 to help verify land cover across BC’s south coast. Anyone with a phone can join in!
Why Participate?
Contributing data will help create an open-source Biodiversity Atlas for southwest BC. This atlas will be a vital tool for local governments, First Nations, and other stakeholders to identify key areas for biodiversity and climate resilience.
It’s also a great way to get outside and explore your neighborhood while playing a crucial role in conservation. Plus, there are gifts and prizes for participants!
What is Land Cover Mapping?
Land cover mapping classifies landscapes based on their physical characteristics. Our project uses around 18 classes, including water, cropland, shrubs, and broad-leaved trees. UBC Okanagan's machine learning model, which relies on high-resolution imagery and LiDAR data, needs field verification to accurately identify land cover types, particularly tricky ones like scrub and herbaceous areas.
How to Participate
We need your help to improve our model through field verification. There are two ways to get involved:
Choose Your Own Location: Collect data anywhere while walking, biking, driving, or during any outing. The more data we gather, the better our model will be.
Pre-determined Locations (for partners only): Visit selected locations covering various land cover categories. Some sites are easy to access, while others are remote and require safe and legal access.
For more information and guidance documents, click https://actionforadaptation.square.site/community-science.
To register for prize eligibility, click https://ubc.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_cDdIl6f7fD7dI9w.