makira, madagascar

Remote sensor monitoring requires a reliable base-line. This can either be an absolute base-line or a relative baseline.
An absolute base-line is the height of the ground according to topographic maps, while the relative base-line is taken as the lowest point on the ground within the measure area as zero.

Multi-spectrum data collection has incredible advantages in scale on on-going monitoring, but this typically needs to be combined with reliable ground truthing. Vegetation type, typical sequestration volute analysis and grid point references.

Together with accurate topographical base-lines vegetation indexes are equally critical to result in accurate modeling of the remote sensor data. On the ground studies of the vegetation for average sequestration of the micro-biome is critical for extrapolating the growth impact over time.

Green Steps is working together with WCS and Trillion Trees to use multi-spectrum high resolution satellite platforms to actively monitor ongoing reforestation success and use Green Steps enterprise tools to secure crowd-base funding to secure sponsorship for the operations.

The Makira Natural Park harbors the largest remaining contiguous tract of low and mid-altitude rainforest in eastern Madagascar. The importance of Makira Natural Park, which covers 372,470 hectares, lies in its astounding biodiversityand its level of species endemism which is certainly amongst the highest in the country. The Makira forest is of global importance and ensures the ecological integrity of one of the most diverse and intact areas of Madagascar. Human demands from the 90,000 people living around the Makira Natural Park threaten the integrity of the forests, which in turn affect the livelihoods that depend on them. Makira faces a number of challenges, including growing demands from the surrounding communities for agricultural land, particularly rice cultivation, bush meat hunting, collection of non-timber forest products, and illegal logging and mining.

50 percent of net revenues are allocated to activities in support of community management of natural resources and socio-economic development of communities
20 percent of net revenues are used for conservation activities in the Park’s core zone
20 percent are assigned to the Government for the fight against deforestation
10 percent are used for monitoring, marketing and verification costs