While continuing its evaluation of UAS technology for waterfowl surveys, the NUSO also expanded its survey studies to encompass mammals, including various forms of wildlife as well as fossilized human footprints from the late Pleistocene time period.
Stream Temperature Dynamics Study, Tribal Youth Program in Klamath Basin
In July 2014 the NUSO cooperated with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and Klamath Basin Tribal Youth Program to utilize UAS to study stream temperature dynamics on the river systems within the Upper Klamath Basin.
The Klamath Basin comprises over 40,000 square kilometers and encompasses a diversity of habitats and trust species including threatened and endangered species, migratory birds, and anadromous fishes. Aquatic habitats supporting trust species such as Lost River sucker, shortnose sucker, and Coho salmon in the Klamath Basin are supported by an array of aquatic, physical, and habitat conditions. Degradation of habitat by diminished stream flow, altered thermal regimes, and stream bed and bank modification are key factors influencing populations of many aquatic trust species in the Basin. As an example, the once abundant Klamath salmon runs have been reduced to less than 10% of their historic size. Some species, such as Coho salmon, are now in such low numbers in the Klamath River that they are listed under the Federal Endangered Species Act.
This project investigated the utility of thermal infrared (TIR) remote sensing on UAS to measure stream temperature by studying instream observations, mapping the images with historical geomorphological data from satellite imagers, and validating the results with on-the-ground point measurements and historical data, such as light detection and ranging (lidar) and Forward Looking Infrared from 1999 and 2012. Data collections were timed to capture daily maximum stream temperatures, in-stream temperature data loggers were used simultaneously with the over flights to ground-reference the radiant temperatures measured by TIR. The collected data supported analysis to assess utility in the development of workable and locally accepted stream temperature best management practices for the Klamath River Basin and its tributaries.
This program received a Department of the Interior Partners in Conservation Award for outstanding contributions of the Klamath Tribal Leadership Development Program for Integrative Science and Traditional Ecological Knowledge.
Study Point of Contact:
Sue Mattenberger, Hydrologist
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Census of Ground-nesting Pelicans at the Chase Lake National Wildlife Refuge
The NUSO worked with the USFWS in June and August of 2014 to determine if UAS could be a more economical, less obtrusive, safer, and a more efficient and versatile means to survey American White Pelicans and other ground-nesting waterbirds.
Chase Lake National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) in south-central North Dakota is home to one of the largest colonies of ground-nesting waterbirds in the northern Great Plains. The waterbird colony at Chase Lake NWR has changed dramatically during the past two decades, increasing both in species composition and in overall numbers. In recent years, the Chase Lake islands supported 20,000-30,000 nests of 40,000-60,000 breeding birds (12+ species), making this one of the most significant mixed-species waterbird colonies in the northern plains and certainly one of the most important colonies managed by the USFWS in this region. Such a large concentration makes the breeding birds especially vulnerable to multiple factors (e.g., predation, weather events, disease) that can influence their productivity and survival. Access to reliable population data is crucial for effective conservation and management of the Chase Lake waterbird colony and other colonies in the region.
Ground surveys by walking observers were used at Chase Lake NWR in the 1970s when the waterbird colony was much smaller. But ground surveys are not recommended because this technique is known to cause disturbance and nest abandonment of American White Pelicans and other waterbirds. Annual aerial surveys of nesting pelicans using manned fixed-wing aircraft (e.g., Cessna 172) have proven critical in documenting the increases and decreases in American White Pelican populations at Chase Lake and other regional pelican colonies in recent years. However, aerial surveys using manned aircrafts have potential complications, including safety, costs, and logistics. For example, the ideal timing (i.e., late May or early June) of the aerial imagery from manned aircraft often conflicts with other refuge priorities (e.g., easement assessments, law enforcement, etc.) and schedules for USFWS pilots. For safety, pilots often avoid low-altitude flights. The resolution of the photography from manned aircrafts often is insufficient to identify individuals of smaller waterbird species such as gulls. The aerial surveys using fixed wing aircraft did not utilize remote sensing with high resolution color or infrared imagery, which would allow better detection of individual birds on nests.
Monitoring of waterbirds is essential to detect and evaluate changes in waterbird distribution and abundance. At present, there is some urgency to continue to develop reliable methods for estimating population sizes of ground-nesting waterbirds at Chase Lake NWR. Reliable baseline information on breeding population sizes and changes over time would allow the USFWS to evaluate population levels and changes and to make informed decisions.
UAS are proving to be a useful alternative to manned aircrafts for wildlife surveys and have the potential to be more economical, less obtrusive, safer, and a more efficient and versatile means to survey nesting pelicans and other ground-nesting waterbirds. High-resolution color images and infrared images will provide detection of individual nesting pelicans and other ground-nesting waterbirds.
Study Point of Contact:
Ned Wright, Habitat and Population Evaluation Team (HAPET)
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Elk and Vegetation Surveys at California’s Carrizo Plain Ecological Reserve
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife worked with the NUSO in May 2014 to assess the value of UAS for vegetation mapping and tule elk population estimates at the 23,000 acres of tule elk habitat in and adjacent to its Carrizo Plain Ecological Reserve. NUSO remote pilots performed several UAS flights over the difficult terrain within the reserve to collect imagery and then evaluated the data for its ability to provide accurate vegetative mapping, including structural attributes. The data was also tested as a potential replacement for manned aerial surveys used to assess the tule elk population.
Study Points of Contact:
Joe Hobbs, Statewide Elk and Antelope Coordinator
Diana Hickson, Vegetation Mapping
Rosie Yacoub, GIS Analyst,
California Department of Fish and Wildlife
Stillaguamish Indian Tribe North Cascades Elk Population Surveys in the Skagit Valley
In April 2014 the NUSO worked with the Western Washington University (WWU) to investigate the feasibility of conducting elk population surveys in dense, forested areas of the Skagit Valley of Washington using the color and thermal infrared sensors on the Raven A and T-Hawk UAS platforms.
USGS, Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Bureau of Indian Affairs, and WWU are partnering on the Stillaguamish Indian Tribe North Cascades Elk Population Survey Project. Elk population surveys in this area have historically been conducted from manned helicopters. UAS data collection would dramatically reduce the risk and expense of these surveys. Cost reductions would permit more frequent and complete surveys which would lead to more effective management of this population.
Study Point of Contact:
David O. Wallin, Professor, Department of Environmental Sciences,
Huxley College of the Environment, Western Washington University
Additional Information:
Professor, students use UAVs to track elk herds - Western Washington University WWU News, April 17, 2014
Paleontological Pleistocene Tracks Survey at the White Sands National Monument
Working with the BLM, Department of Defense and in coordination with the National Park Service, the NUSO performed a UAS mission in January 2014 to document the presence of Pleistocene trackways that include mammoth tracks, sloth tracks, and human footprints, at the White Sands National Monument paleontological track site.
This pilot study prototyped the methodologies for an aerial survey for photogrammetric documentation of extremely fragile and ephemeral fossilized footprints from the late Pleistocene time period. The area of study included a portion of a Late Pleistocene megatracksite within and around White Sands National Monument. Thousands of "Ice Age" fossil vertebrate tracks and track ways which date to approximately 20,000 years ago have been documented within the White Sands megatracksite.
While continuing its evaluation of UAS technology for waterfowl surveys, the NUSO also expanded its survey studies to encompass mammals, including various forms of wildlife as well as fossilized human footprints from the late Pleistocene time period.
Stream Temperature Dynamics Study, Tribal Youth Program in Klamath Basin
In July 2014 the NUSO cooperated with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and Klamath Basin Tribal Youth Program to utilize UAS to study stream temperature dynamics on the river systems within the Upper Klamath Basin.
The Klamath Basin comprises over 40,000 square kilometers and encompasses a diversity of habitats and trust species including threatened and endangered species, migratory birds, and anadromous fishes. Aquatic habitats supporting trust species such as Lost River sucker, shortnose sucker, and Coho salmon in the Klamath Basin are supported by an array of aquatic, physical, and habitat conditions. Degradation of habitat by diminished stream flow, altered thermal regimes, and stream bed and bank modification are key factors influencing populations of many aquatic trust species in the Basin. As an example, the once abundant Klamath salmon runs have been reduced to less than 10% of their historic size. Some species, such as Coho salmon, are now in such low numbers in the Klamath River that they are listed under the Federal Endangered Species Act.
This project investigated the utility of thermal infrared (TIR) remote sensing on UAS to measure stream temperature by studying instream observations, mapping the images with historical geomorphological data from satellite imagers, and validating the results with on-the-ground point measurements and historical data, such as light detection and ranging (lidar) and Forward Looking Infrared from 1999 and 2012. Data collections were timed to capture daily maximum stream temperatures, in-stream temperature data loggers were used simultaneously with the over flights to ground-reference the radiant temperatures measured by TIR. The collected data supported analysis to assess utility in the development of workable and locally accepted stream temperature best management practices for the Klamath River Basin and its tributaries.
This program received a Department of the Interior Partners in Conservation Award for outstanding contributions of the Klamath Tribal Leadership Development Program for Integrative Science and Traditional Ecological Knowledge.
Study Point of Contact:
Sue Mattenberger, Hydrologist
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Census of Ground-nesting Pelicans at the Chase Lake National Wildlife Refuge
The NUSO worked with the USFWS in June and August of 2014 to determine if UAS could be a more economical, less obtrusive, safer, and a more efficient and versatile means to survey American White Pelicans and other ground-nesting waterbirds.
Chase Lake National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) in south-central North Dakota is home to one of the largest colonies of ground-nesting waterbirds in the northern Great Plains. The waterbird colony at Chase Lake NWR has changed dramatically during the past two decades, increasing both in species composition and in overall numbers. In recent years, the Chase Lake islands supported 20,000-30,000 nests of 40,000-60,000 breeding birds (12+ species), making this one of the most significant mixed-species waterbird colonies in the northern plains and certainly one of the most important colonies managed by the USFWS in this region. Such a large concentration makes the breeding birds especially vulnerable to multiple factors (e.g., predation, weather events, disease) that can influence their productivity and survival. Access to reliable population data is crucial for effective conservation and management of the Chase Lake waterbird colony and other colonies in the region.
Ground surveys by walking observers were used at Chase Lake NWR in the 1970s when the waterbird colony was much smaller. But ground surveys are not recommended because this technique is known to cause disturbance and nest abandonment of American White Pelicans and other waterbirds. Annual aerial surveys of nesting pelicans using manned fixed-wing aircraft (e.g., Cessna 172) have proven critical in documenting the increases and decreases in American White Pelican populations at Chase Lake and other regional pelican colonies in recent years. However, aerial surveys using manned aircrafts have potential complications, including safety, costs, and logistics. For example, the ideal timing (i.e., late May or early June) of the aerial imagery from manned aircraft often conflicts with other refuge priorities (e.g., easement assessments, law enforcement, etc.) and schedules for USFWS pilots. For safety, pilots often avoid low-altitude flights. The resolution of the photography from manned aircrafts often is insufficient to identify individuals of smaller waterbird species such as gulls. The aerial surveys using fixed wing aircraft did not utilize remote sensing with high resolution color or infrared imagery, which would allow better detection of individual birds on nests.
Monitoring of waterbirds is essential to detect and evaluate changes in waterbird distribution and abundance. At present, there is some urgency to continue to develop reliable methods for estimating population sizes of ground-nesting waterbirds at Chase Lake NWR. Reliable baseline information on breeding population sizes and changes over time would allow the USFWS to evaluate population levels and changes and to make informed decisions.
UAS are proving to be a useful alternative to manned aircrafts for wildlife surveys and have the potential to be more economical, less obtrusive, safer, and a more efficient and versatile means to survey nesting pelicans and other ground-nesting waterbirds. High-resolution color images and infrared images will provide detection of individual nesting pelicans and other ground-nesting waterbirds.
Study Point of Contact:
Ned Wright, Habitat and Population Evaluation Team (HAPET)
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Elk and Vegetation Surveys at California’s Carrizo Plain Ecological Reserve
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife worked with the NUSO in May 2014 to assess the value of UAS for vegetation mapping and tule elk population estimates at the 23,000 acres of tule elk habitat in and adjacent to its Carrizo Plain Ecological Reserve. NUSO remote pilots performed several UAS flights over the difficult terrain within the reserve to collect imagery and then evaluated the data for its ability to provide accurate vegetative mapping, including structural attributes. The data was also tested as a potential replacement for manned aerial surveys used to assess the tule elk population.
Study Points of Contact:
Joe Hobbs, Statewide Elk and Antelope Coordinator
Diana Hickson, Vegetation Mapping
Rosie Yacoub, GIS Analyst,
California Department of Fish and Wildlife
Stillaguamish Indian Tribe North Cascades Elk Population Surveys in the Skagit Valley
In April 2014 the NUSO worked with the Western Washington University (WWU) to investigate the feasibility of conducting elk population surveys in dense, forested areas of the Skagit Valley of Washington using the color and thermal infrared sensors on the Raven A and T-Hawk UAS platforms.
USGS, Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Bureau of Indian Affairs, and WWU are partnering on the Stillaguamish Indian Tribe North Cascades Elk Population Survey Project. Elk population surveys in this area have historically been conducted from manned helicopters. UAS data collection would dramatically reduce the risk and expense of these surveys. Cost reductions would permit more frequent and complete surveys which would lead to more effective management of this population.
Study Point of Contact:
David O. Wallin, Professor, Department of Environmental Sciences,
Huxley College of the Environment, Western Washington University
Additional Information:
Professor, students use UAVs to track elk herds - Western Washington University WWU News, April 17, 2014
Paleontological Pleistocene Tracks Survey at the White Sands National Monument
Working with the BLM, Department of Defense and in coordination with the National Park Service, the NUSO performed a UAS mission in January 2014 to document the presence of Pleistocene trackways that include mammoth tracks, sloth tracks, and human footprints, at the White Sands National Monument paleontological track site.
This pilot study prototyped the methodologies for an aerial survey for photogrammetric documentation of extremely fragile and ephemeral fossilized footprints from the late Pleistocene time period. The area of study included a portion of a Late Pleistocene megatracksite within and around White Sands National Monument. Thousands of "Ice Age" fossil vertebrate tracks and track ways which date to approximately 20,000 years ago have been documented within the White Sands megatracksite.