FWS

The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (FWS), in concert with its international, Federal, Tribal, State, local, and non-government organization (NGO) partners, uses a large number of remote sensing technologies to find optimal solutions to monitor and manage fish and wildlife populations, habitats, waters, wetlands, and landscapes. The FWS utilizes acoustic global positioning systems (GPS), and radio telemetry sensors on fish and wildlife for time and location information tied to a variety of remote sensing image products such as aerial and satellite optical imagery, thermal, radar, sonar, and light detection and ranging (lidar) imagery.  This time and geospatial system of imagery and location is used to map habitats, find invasive plants, determine flight paths of birds and bats, conduct fish and wildlife inventories, watch over refuge lands, and monitor trust species. 

Bureau Full Name
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Using Stream Thermography to Measure Seasonal Changes in Stream Water Temperature and Investigate Salmonid Movements

Submitted by tadamson on

The potential implications of climate change on Pacific salmon are a concern to resource managers in Alaska as warming trends continue in high-latitude streams. Temperature monitoring is needed to assess the potential ecological changes to salmon spawning habitat in coldwater refugia streams. The Funny River and Moose River are two coldwater streams on the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge that support a variety of salmon species.

Utilizing Deep Learning Algorithms and Lidar to Detect Abandoned Oil and Gas Wells

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The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that there are over 2.3 million onshore abandoned oil and gas wells. A well is considered abandoned by State and Federal agencies if there has not been recent oil or gas production, the well head is not properly capped, or there is no responsible operating company. Many oil and gas wells are concentrated in the southwestern United States.

Applying Advanced Technologies to Automate Migratory Bird Surveys

Submitted by tadamson on

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) is using airborne remote sensing technologies to enhance migratory bird surveys to 1) ensure safety of aircrews conducting surveys by allowing flight at higher altitudes, 2) improve the quality of collected population and habitat data by quantifying and minimizing error rates, and 3) increase bird survey efficiency and utility by creating consistent automated processes.

Inundation Frequency Explorer: Landscape Scale Assessment Using a Web Application

Submitted by tadamson on

In large river ecosystems the timing, extent, duration, and frequency of floodplain inundation greatly affect the quality of fish and wildlife habitat and the supply of important ecosystem goods and services. Seasonal high flows provide connectivity from the river to the floodplain, and seasonal inundation of the floodplain governs ecosystem structure and function.

Lidar and PlanetScope Metrics for Predicting Forest Inventory Parameters in Texas and Oklahoma Songbird Habitat

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National Wildlife Refuges (NWR) in Texas and Oklahoma manage forested habitats to support priority bird populations in the West Gulf Coastal Plain and Ouachitas Bird Conservation Regions. Airborne laser altimetry, or light detection and ranging (lidar), captures detail on vertical and horizonal forest structure helpful for determining bird species diversity, density, and distribution.

2022 DOI Remote Sensing Activities

Remotely sensed data and derived information contribute significantly to mission-critical work across the Department of the Interior (DOI). This report from the DOI Remote Sensing Working Group (DOIRSWG) highlights a sample of DOI remote sensing applications and illustrates the many types of technology, platforms, and specialized sensors employed.* DOI personnel use remote sensing technology to evaluate and monitor changing land-surface and natural resource conditions over the vast areas for which DOI has responsibility.

Development of An Automated and Cloud-Based Remote Sensing Routine for Surface Water Monitoring in Alaska Refuges

Submitted by atripp on

The potential for large changes in the amount and distribution of surface water in arctic landscapes is high given climate-induced changes in permafrost. Because changes in surface water have broadscale implications in the structure and function of ecosystems, understanding and tracking surface water change is a high priority for some Alaskan refuges.

Tracking Spatial and Temporal Habitat Changes for an Endangered Rodent

Submitted by atripp on

The New Mexico meadow jumping mouse (Zapus hudsonius luteus), which was listed as endangered in 2014, historically ranged throughout the Middle Rio Grande River Valley in New Mexico and along perennial high-elevation streams in New Mexico, southern Colorado, and eastern Arizona. After years of drought, river modifications, and changes to habitat, many previously occupied jumping mouse populations are believed to be extirpated.

Enhancing Migratory Bird Surveys

Submitted by atripp on

The FWS is using airborne remote sensing technologies to enhance migratory bird surveys to 1) enhance safety of aircrews conducting surveys by allowing flight at higher altitudes, 2) improve the quality of population and habitat data collected by minimizing and quantifying error rates, and 3) increase bird survey efficiency and utility by creating consistent automated processes. The FWS is partnering with the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), U.S.