Balcones Canyonlands National Wildlife Refuge and the National Wildlife Refuge System's Southwest Region Inventory and Monitoring (I&M) initiative are using a relatively new technology to aid in protection and restoration of endangered bird species habitat- specifically the golden-cheeked warbler and black-capped vireos.
Aerial photos and satellite imaging have been used in the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for many years to help determine what habitat to protect for endangered species- it provides a unique overhead view making it easier to see wide landscapes. However, this technology is becoming outdated and is being replaced with a newer technology called LiDAR which creates a much more accurate 3-D image of the landscape.
Light detection and ranging, or LiDAR, is an extremely useful and commonly used tool among the refuge system. The way it works is similar to sonar. Mounted on aircraft, the LiDAR sensor sends out pulses of laser light and receives thousands of individual measurements from objects below in the blink of an eye. These measurements are then mapped to create a detailed 3-D sketch that includes accurate vegetation height, density, and canopy cover. All of this data is helping biologists, fire managers, and other specialists determine the best method to protect and restore habitat for endangered birds.
Specifically, the refuge staff is using this data to identify golden-cheeked warbler and black-capped vireo habitat; the warblers prefer older oak and Ashe juniper woodlands and the vireos prefer semi-open shrublands. Combined with field surveys that identify where the birds have been seen and breeding, the LiDAR data makes it easier to see clearly what type of habitat the birds prefer. LiDAR is not replacing field survey data, it simply enhances it.
Using the LiDAR data, different parties are then able to collaborate more effectively to create a management plan that is best suited to the warbler. Biometricians, remote-sensing scientists, landscape ecologists, fire managers, and other I&M staff all continue to collaborate working as an interdisciplinary team with different strengths and skills.
http://refugeassociation.org/
