Bird conservationists work across vast areas and have little chance to visit all remote corners where their beloved cranes, storks, geese, eagles and warblers happen to feed, nest and rest. By 2007 we realized that our work on Hooded Crane Habitat conservation would not be effective unless we could add some advanced remote sensing methods to our usual field surveys. Soon we discovered that many colleagues working on other species and habitats also lack this tool for habitat analysis, monitoring and analysis of spatial distribution of species. Therefore we teamed up with China-Mongolia-Russia Trilateral nature Reserve and invited Moscow-based NGO “Transparent World” specializing in conservation GIS to conduct initial training in most basic aspects of satellite imagery handling and use, and merging field data and remote sensing data in one analytical process.
 Workshop held in Hailar included 2-3 days of data collection in the field and 7 days of data processing in computers. Hailar greeted us with 35 degrees Celsius, making life and work difficult, but we extended our work-hours until midnight and beyond and fulfilled our original plan. Workshop attracted 24 conservationists ranging from nature reserve vice-director to observer at ranger station, and from university GIS teacher to bird-banding volunteer. Due to different level of initial GIS and computer skills each participant obtained different gains from the rich program, but every participant definitely improved and operationalized his/her understanding how to use GIS in conservation work and learned many specifial skills.
 Moergol river wetland 20 kilometers northwest from Hailar that was selected as sample are for collection of field data greeted our first filed trip with a magnificent pair of Red-crowned cranes feeding right in the middle of sample area, and paid tribute to Hooded Crane project supported by Whitley Fund for Nature by gathering of 12 Hooded Cranes waiting for us on the second day of field work. So, there were we standing –15 trip participants all wearing Hooded crane T-shirts with WFN logo in front of a flock of 12 beautiful Hooded cranes flying across the meadow.
 
In nearest future we will clarify with “Transparent world” which scheme of analysis best fits our objectives. We plan to analyze both suitability of habitats for Hooded cranes in Xingan mountains and degree of anthropogenic disturbance in those habitats. Workshop help us to develop common language and obtain skills that will allow for effective use of remote sensing in our project.
Workshop Program
August, 10-20th 2007
GIS and Remote Sensing-training, Hailar, China
Aug 10.Participants arrive at Hailar.
Day 1 (Aug 11)
Introduction. Goals-setting. Course plan correction.
Example of common GIS for 4 nature reserves at Songnen plain. (Zhang Yuhong)
Goals: GIS- and Remote Sensing techniques acquisition;
Common language and standards making;
Carrying-out the work on the Dauria project; territory investigation; testing of proposed criteria and drawing-up new one.
2. GIS and Remote Sensing fundamentals. Satellites, sensors (discussion, lecture ~ 2 hours)
Break
1. Remote Sensing data sources. On-line catalogs, Google-Earth
(Lecture, demonstration - 1 hour)
2. Software installation and tuning
Day 2(Aug 12)
Remote Sensing Data preparation
1. Data types and structure, projections, coordinate systems, GPS (lecture, demonstration - 1 hour)
2. Working with Landsat satellite image: layers stack, reprojection, statistics acquisition, building pyramids, histogram manipulation, bands combinations; discussion of possible problems (computer-based exercises – 1 hour)
Break
Field training (1st field training objectives – working with different band combinations, discussion of differences and similarities on satellite image interpretation by different members of the group)
Day 3(Aug 13)
1. Remote Sensing Data using
Interpretation. Methods of an interpretation. Manual interpretation (expert classification). Automatic classification (lecture – 2-3 hours)
2. Manual interpretation by the example one of the sites (computer-based exercise – 1-2 hours)
Day 4(Aug 14)
1. Field work planning. Objectives and criteria for key sites selection (accessibility, diversity, representation). Field forms preparation (discussion 2 hours) Maps preparation (Mapbook) (computer-based exercise – 1 hour)
Field – Verification of preliminary classification results obtained the day before. Linking the GPS and PC. Team-work on filling-out the field forms to draw-up common view.
It is optional for over-night stay in field
Day 5(Aug 15)
Field – Investigation of preliminary selected key site contours
Day 6 (Aug 16)
1. Office studies of field data.
GPS data downloading
Inclusion of corrections into the results of manual interpretation, drawing the contours, filling them with information = i.e. getting the thematic map (appending to GPS-points of attributive information from field forms; hotlink on photos and other document formats)
(computer-based exercise – 2 hours)
2. Satellite images capability for understanding of habitat structure and dynamics: group discussion of obtained results (from the view-point of lackingexcessive data)
Day 7(Aug 17)
1. Automatic classification. Preliminary automatic classification (computer-based exercise)
2. Comparing of the results of automatic classification and manual interpretation (discussion)
Day 8(Aug 18)
1. Spatial and temporal data analysis: analysis of territory’s fragmentation, zones of density building; proximity analysis; using of object’s square, perimeter, length criteria.
Group discussion on choosing the analysis methods depending on the tasks of international project.
2. Creating roadless territory maps (computer-based exercise – 2 hours)
Day 9(Aug 19)
Fieldwork
Day 10(Aug 20)
1. Field data handling (see day 6)
2. Sizing-up and discussion on further plans
Aug 20 evening. Participants leave Hailar.
Suggested Daily schedule:
7.00-7.30 Breakfast (guesthouse)
8.00-12.00 –Morning session (Dalailake NNR office)
12.30-14.00- Lunch(guesthouse)
14.00-18.00 Afternoon session(Dalailake NNR office)
18.30-19.30 Supper(guesthouse)
Aug 11,12,13,14,15,16,18,19th
19.45-21.30 (at Dalailake NNR office) Optional evening gathering for discussions and learning additional items:
- GRID-data format. Using Spatial Analyst.
- Digital Elevation Model (DEM). Building DEM from SRTM, from counter lines
- Map-making using ArcMap
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