Reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation in developing countries (REDD+) is an approach to address conservation, sustainable management of forests, and enhancement of forest carbon stocks. The REDD Implementation Centre (REDD IC) under Nepal’s Ministry of Forests and Environment (MoFE) leads REDD+ readiness activities, implementation of emission reduction programmes, and demonstration of REDD+ outcomes in Nepal. The centre works towards the development and use of reliable, transparent, and credible systems for robust and functional monitoring, reporting, and verification (MRV) of forest carbon stocks.
Traditional methods of carbon mapping are expensive and challenging to use for large areas. Earth observation (EO) coupled with Geographic Information Systems (GIS), can serve high-resolution, spatially explicit forest maps to monitor changes in forest cover and carbon stocks to support MRV processes. GIS provides a variety of tools to support data management, research, decision-making, and tracking for forestry professionals and enables them to test and consider choices in both temporal and spatial environments. However, gaps in capacity at individual and institutional levels in Nepal has limited the adoption and operational use of GIS data and EO technologies in forest applications. Capacity development in the field of forest cover change and carbon stock monitoring workflows using GIS data and tools can contribute to bridging the capacity gap and underpin the achievement of REDD+ goals for regular and effective monitoring of forests.
In this regard, REDD IC in collaboration with ICIMOD’s SERVIR Hindu Kush Himalaya (SERVIR-HKH) initiative will conduct a five-day training on “Using GIS for monitoring forest cover change and carbon stocks” from 5–9 March 2021 in Dhulikhel, Kavrepalanchok, Nepal. This training is a part of SERVIR-HKH’s institutional capacity building activity for REDD IC professionals and other relevant government agencies in the forestry sector.
This training will cover a wide range of topics, including GIS concepts and applications in forest monitoring along with hands-on exercises on vector and raster data visualization and analysis, forest area mapping, exploring Open Foris tools, forest change analysis, carbon stocks calculation and map production. The training will be delivered using a blended learning approach – presentations and guided practical exercises to enhance the scientific and technical skills on the effective use of GIS in forest monitoring to meet the REDD+ goals.
To train professionals working at the Nepal REDD IC and in other relevant government departments in the use of GIS for forest monitoring and carbon mapping.
Upon completion of the training, the participants will have a better understanding of the concepts and applications of EO/GIS in forest monitoring and carbon mapping, enabling them to apply this knowledge in their working areas, while also offering inputs to the achievement of REDD and REDD+ goals for regular and effective monitoring of forests.
20 professionals from REDD IC and relevant government agencies in Nepal are expected to join this training.
Resource persons/Facilitators
Tentative agenda
- Day 1: 5 April 2021
Time Topic Resource persons/Facilitators 09:00–09:45 Opening session (S1) Registration
Training overview and introduction of the participants
Welcome remarks
Remarks
Group photo
Rajesh Shrestha, ICIMOD
Rajesh B. Thapa, ICIMOD
Birendra Bajracharya, Chief of Party, SERVIR-HKH, ICIMOD
Buddi S. Poudel, Chief of REDD IC
Rajesh Shrestha, ICIMOD
09:45–12:30 Morning session (S2) Pre-training assessment (10 min)
REDD strategy, projects, and capacity gaps in Nepal (20 min)
QGIS setup and installation (30 min)
Poonam Tripathi, ICIMOD
Buddi S. Poudel
Poonam Tripathi
10:45–11:15 Break GIS concepts and applications in forest monitoring (45 min) Demonstration of GIS data (30 min)
Rajesh B. Thapa Poonam Tripathi
12:30–13:30 Lunch break 13:30–17:00 Afternoon session (S3) Hands-on exercises
Introduction to QGIS
Vector/raster data exploration and visualization in QGIS
Poonam Tripathi/Rajesh B. Thapa 15:00–15:30 Break Hands-on exercises – session continued Working with vector/raster data, layer properties, projection, symbology, label, etc.
- Day 2: 6 April 2021
- Day 3: 7 April 2021
- Day 4: 8 April 2021
- Day 5: 9 April 2021
