Assessing rehabilitation of resource development areas using a remote sensing approach

Resource Development Rehabilitation Monitoring Program

Mineral exploration in Australia can extend across vast areas of land, often in remote locations and can cause disturbances. The nature of disturbance within exploration areas varies, but typically includes vegetation clearing along tracks and around drill pads and must be monitored. Approaches to ecological monitoring are evolving in line with increasing access to high quality imagery with its range of spatial, spectral and temporal resolution, and advances in image analysis techniques.

In collaboration with our client, our team developed a resource development rehabilitation monitoring program—using satellite imagery to provide an innovative and cost-effective solution for assessing disturbance and rehabilitation of extensive, spatially distributed, remote exploration areas. We provided a quantitative assessment of the level of rehabilitation establishment across areas cleared under various regulatory mechanisms. Now we’ve developed an annual imagery analysis pathway and reporting structure to meet the objectives of the monitoring.

With remote sensing technology and a monitoring program in hand, our client can reduce time spent in the field assessing and monitoring disturbances and rehabilitation efforts at large, remote exploration areas.