Impact Stories: Remote Control

Abstract

In remote mountainous regions such as the Andes, poverty and threats to ecosystems are often exacerbated by an insufficient knowledge of the state of the environment. In such a ‘perfect storm’ of conditions, the typical ‘predict and control’ approach to ecosystem management is not feasible. On the other hand, continuously monitoring the direction in which the ecosystem is heading and responding flexibly to observed changes is difficult in areas that are hard to access. This project explored how new environmental monitoring technologies, data processing, and interactive visualisation might support adaptive governance of ecosystem services. In the Pacaipampa community in the Peruvian Andes, stream-flow was monitored by local farmers and an interactive hydrological model developed to support land-use planning and safeguard water supplies.

Citation

ESPA. Impact Stories: Remote Control. Ecosystem Services for Poverty Alleviation (ESPA), UK (2013) 2 pp.

Impact Stories: Remote Control

Published 1 January 2013