[Taxacom] threat to future remote sensing earth observation data

[Donat Agosti]

In a time where we slowly start to understand and use remote sensing data in
our conservation work, Google Earth and the Global Landcover Facility
demonstrate the power of global high resolution data sets, especially by
providing unlimited access to the global community, it is sad to read the
current report from the National Academy of Sciences on the future of US
Earth Science at NASA, which does not guarantee the same amount of remote
sensing data for the future. The ailing satellite systems and their slow
replacement threaten to discontinue long term observation series, shown
already with the defective Landsat 7 scanner which was part of a series of
comparative data beginning in the 70ties.
(http://www.nap.edu/catalog/11820.html#toc; further comments in the NYT
"Scientists warn of diminished earth studies from space"
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/16/science/space/16nasa.html?ref=science)

 

This is another of the current US administration onslaughts on means to
research and monitor the environment, such as closing the Office of Earth
Sciences at NASA or, in the US, closing many of the regional EPA libraries.
In a very turbulent time of planet Earth we ought better take care of our
own planet, then diverting resources to fly to the moon and beyond.

 

It would be too ironic that at a moment where we slowly understand how we
can integrate the enormous amount of remote sensing data in biogeographic
analysis and ecology, we loose some of one our most potent source of
environmental data. We as a community should find ways to express our
concerns.

 

Donat

 

 

 

Dr. Donat Agosti

Science Consultant

Research Associate, American Museum of Natural History and Naturmuseum der
Burgergemeinde Bern

Email: agosti at amnh.org

Web:  <http://antbase.org/> http://antbase.org

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