Asset Mapping with CI Earth™
CI Earth is Helveta’s interactive cartography application and consists of three core components: a handheld based data capture application; a ruggedized touch screen PDA for field data gathering; and an online environment for map sharing.
Indigenous communities have used CI Earth technology to map forest environments using the ruggedized icon-driven touch screen handheld units. Forest management activities and forest usage can be monitored, mapped and GPS referenced. Data is made available for sharing by project stakeholders in an online environment that can be used for the planning of forest resource management. CI Earth further enables the online sharing of maps among communities over the web, allowing users to view and query maps produced. A core goal of the CI Earth technology is to provide stakeholders with sharing resources and to have a common view on forest data with local communities to avert and avoid sources of conflict.
CI Earth’s data capture component allows users to configure their own icons and icon definitions, and define the decision trees for capturing data types. The data capture interface can be graphics, text or numeric based and is used to capture reference-able data points such as GPS, RFID and barcode IDs. The CI Earth interface can be entirely end-user configured and allows users to define exactly which information they want gazetted and included on maps specific to their needs.
The touch screen interface enables easy selection of relevant icons while the PDA is put to use in challenging environments such as deep forest or remote locations.
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Forest peoples using CI Earth in Cameroon. © Dr Jerome Lewis
The CI Earth online map sharing environment allows users to export data points and associated icons to GIS products such as ESRI’s ArcView, or GeoWeb applications such as Google™ Earth, so that maps can be readily printed and viewed by users. CI Earth also enables the online sharing of maps among communities over the web, allowing users to view and query maps produced so that all stakeholders sharing resources in a given area of the globe can have visibility on the same data.
CI Earth has currently been deployed in Nigeria, Central African Republic, Republic of Congo and Cameroon.
An example of a possible map generated by CI Earth. Click for larger version
CI Earth in Cameroon
Helveta is currently working in Cameroon with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) and the British High Commission. CI Earth is being used by local communities as part of a new initiative to map their key assets and sensitive resources in the forest. The project will build on prior successful deployments in Cameroon by “Centre pour l’Environnement et le Développement” (CED) and Forest Peoples Programme (FPP), in the Central African Republic by FPP, and in Republic of Congo by “Congolaise Industrielle des Bois” (CIB) and Tropical Forest Trust (TFT).
The project is supported by the Cameroon Forestry Ministry and funded by the Global Opportunity Fund from the FCO. Particular focus is put upon supporting the Forest Law Enforcement Governance and Trade (FLEGT) and Voluntary Partnership Agreement processes in Cameroon, providing a platform to aid in forest monitoring and remote verification of forest management activities in sites across Cameroon. The project aims to deliver benefits to the communities by enabling their direct involvement in the FLEGT process and by enhancing their ability to monitor forest logging activities in the areas in which they live. The project stakeholders further plan to use the online map environment as a conflict avoidance mechanism in dialogue between the communities and logging operators.
An example of a possible map generated by CI Earth. Click for larger version
