GOFCGOLD Regional Networks Summit Tbilisi Georgia 13 16

GOFC-GOLD Regional Networks Summit Tbilisi, Georgia 13 -16 th September 2017 Southern African Fire Network (SAFNet) Session-II: Regional Network Updates and Recent Accomplishments Wisdom M. Dlamini / Chenay Simms Swaziland / South Africa wdlamini@uniswa. sz / chenay. simms@sanparks. org Navashni Govender, Philip Frost, Gift Sikaundi, Anja Hofmann Lufuno Vhegani, Riaan van den Dool

GOFC/GOLD Regional Fire Networks Ø Strengthen involvement of scientists (local/international) for improved validation of satellite fire products Ø Share regional data openly and assist in product calibration and validation Ø Focus on evaluating fire regimes/products, and link with land use cover change and climate Ø Encourage collaboration with other Regional networks - effectively to secure funding for sustained continuity Ø Improve and extend outreach activities through international and local collaborations

SAFNet ● ● ● Is a regional network that fosters collaborative efforts in fire monitoring and management in southern Africa. Has no secure funding; no salaries (START support for a meeting every 2 years) Works on a voluntary basis within people in the region GOAL: To achieve more effective fire management policies and practices in southern Africa through the use of remote sensing and other geospatial technology. PURPOSE: To enhance the use of information from field observations and remote sensing of fires for natural resource management in southern Africa.

Brief History of SAFNet - was initiated using small seed funding grants from NASA, USAID and START - a meeting, funded predominantly by START, is held every 2 years 1 st Meeting IGBP/START/LCLUC Miombo Network Workshop on Ecology and Management of Fire in Miombo, Matopo, Zimbabwe, 19 -23 April 1999 2 nd Meeting Zimbabwe-Zambia Traveling Meeting, 11 -19 th July 2000 3 rd Meeting University of Botswana, Gaborone, Botswana, 29 July – 1 August, 2002 4 th Meeting Kruger National Park, South Africa, 17 -23 August 2003 5 th Meeting Mangochi, Malawi, 9 -13 August 2004 6 th Meeting Maputo, Mozambique, 5 -6 October 2006 7 th Meeting Katima Mulilo, Namibia, 22 -26 September 2008 8 th Meeting Golden Gate National Park, South Africa, 6– 8 May 2011 9 th Meeting Morogoro, Tanzania, 4 -8 February 2013

SAFNet Objectives • To enhance the use of validated remote sensing products • To increase information on fire issues (research, raise public awareness) • To promote a forum for informed communication of fire issues • To communicate regional fire needs at international level • To collate and disseminate regional fire information, data and best practices for field observations. • To develop and maintain links to existing fire and other networks

SAFNET Focus Areas ● ● Provision of satellite based fire products National to regional scale systematic fire monitoring in support of fire management ● Remote sensing based capacity building and training 1. Validation of new satellite fire products 2. Support national and regional fire policy development

SAFNet Country Participation Representatives from 13 regional countries Various International representations

Key activities in SAFNet Satellite Fire Data Validation - Field Campaign Kruger National Park The overall aim of the project was to target the validation of satellite active fire algorithms used to generate routine fire monitoring information Satellites – TET 1, MODIS, VIIRS Fire products: 1. detection and FRP at various spatial and temporal scales 2. emissions – ground based Long term experimental burn plots in KNP Poster: Southern African Fire Network – SAFNet in 2015

Key activities in SAFNet Cross Border Fire Management Project Four GIZ funded initiatives - SADC 1. Angola/Namibia (Ka. Za TFCA): Community-Based Fire Management for Luiana Partial Reserve (Angola) & Bwabwata National Park (Namibia) 2. Zambia/Malawi: Community-Based Fire Management for Munyanjala-Kambombo TFCA 3. South Africa/Swaziland (Songimvelo/Malolotja TFCA): Development of SOP’s for cross-border community-based fire management 4. Mozambique/South Africa (GLTP): Comparing two fire management strategies in the GLTP: creating the foundations for a fire management system in the LNP Poster: Southern African Fire Network – SAFNet in 2015

Key activities in SAFNet SADC Integrated Fire Management and Community. Based Fire Management Curriculum Fire instructor training (technical, academic & practical) of 12 fire managers from regional conservation agencies Countries participated: Tanzania, Zambia, Malawi, Swaziland, SA 30 day course in South Africa Poster: Southern African Fire Network – SAFNet in 2015

Key activities in SAFNet SADC Integrated Fire Management and Community. Based Fire Management Curriculum Teaching the concept of Integrated Fire Management (IFM) as a holistic framework for managing fires in the various ecosystem 2 week course in Tanzania Poster: Southern African Fire Network – SAFNet in 2015

Key activities in SAFNet Monitoring for Environment and Security in Africa (MESA) fire Service AMESD – launched 2007 – support through EUMETCAST receiving stations MESA – ongoing since July 2013, Preparation for GMESA (2018 – 2022) Wild fire services – 3 main components (Prediction, Detection and Monitoring and Impact assessment) Highlights: Linux based terminals to avoid Windows license issues Web based software to allow free access Fire dashboard - active fire events, FDI QGIS open source software

Thematic Actions & Services: SADC RIC: BDMS/ SADC-CSC THEMA: Agricultural and Environmental Resource Management

Infrastructure

Key activities in SAFNet MESA Fire Service Wildfire Viewer Map – active fires Data storage and network access Wildfire Dashboard Table – fire events FDI (predicted and current)

Key activities in SAFNet MESA fire Service Wildfire Analysis Quantum GIS Data storage User information integration Wildfire Dataserver Geoserver – local Web mapping Web feature services Standard formats

Key activities in SAFNet Advanced Fire Information Service (AFIS) support to the region A system that provides fire managers across the globe with a unique tool to better manage the risk of wildfires, by using satellites, weather forecast models together with Information and Communication Technologies Products: Fire detection, FDI and burnt area estimates Services: Web viewer, mobile apps, alert system, Web dashboard, Statistical portal www. afis. co. za

AFIS Android App ü ü Screenshot for Malolotja Nature Reserve, Swaziland: Information: ü active fire location locality, ü time, ü date, ü brightness temperature, ü fire danger index, ü fire history, ü burned area

Key activities in SAFNet AFIS support to the region

SAFNet – Challenges SAFNet - the last 17 years: successful in supporting the exchange of knowledge and information of fire science and management and is recognized as the platform for fire networking in the region. (ARC-ISCW) (CSIR-Meraka) However lack of continuous funding makes it difficult to maintain a high level quality of service and function that network should (SAWS-LRF) deliver. “voluntary network” (CSIR-SAC) Seek more institutional, national to regional political recognition and support for the network in order to be more sustainable in the future

SAFNet – 2018 and beyond…… 2018 meeting – April, KNP, South Africa ? Fire Danger Rating fire training for the region Planning and Execution of Remote sensing field validation campaign and fire experiments (develop peer programmes) (ARC-ISCW) (CSIR-Meraka) AFIS and MESA training (of trainers) and monitoring (SAWS-LRF) Two potential regional fire projects: 1. Prototyping a Landsat-8 Sentinel-2 Global Burned (CSIR-SAC) Product - South Dakota State University 2. Harmonization, characterization and field validation of satellite fire products - USA, Germany and UK Area

SAFNet – 2018 and beyond…… ● ● Develop stronger links with MESA/GMES and subsequent programme (with a stronger focus on the fire products) Market SAFNet to more younger researchers (most of steering committee members joined in our early 20 s, now >=40). Conduct awareness campaigns regionally and within countries. Engage more research/academic institutions in the region.

SAFNet – 2018 and beyond…… ● ● Conduct more fire research (RS and modelling) and publications (joint/peer research) Leverage more funding – Climate change, land degradation, biodiversity-related funding linking fire to livelihoods Tighten links with Miombo Network – fireland use/cover interface Links with Afri. GEOSS

Top 10 people that should be in the network (forbes. com) ● The Mentor ● The Coach ● The Industry Insider ● The Trendsetter ● The Connector ● The Idealist ● The Realist ● The Visionary ● The Partner ● The Wanna-be/Mentee

Acknowledgments START Philip Frost - PFrost@csir. co. za Natasha Govender - navashni. govender@sanparks. org Gift Sikaundi - gift@zema. org. zm Anja Hofmann - aahoffmann@email. de MESA Riaan van den Dool Senior Systems Engineer @ CSIR Contact: rvddool@csir. co. za AFIS Lufuno Vhengani EO Applications Technologist Contact: lvhengani@csir. co. za Philip Frost Research Group Leader EO Apps CSIR-Meraka Institute