GIS and Remote Sensing Technology for improved pasture management

GIS and Remote Sensing Technology for improved pasture management

The Monitoring Manual for Summer and Winter Pastures (Etzold & Neudert 2013; Etzold et al. 2015) in the Greater Caucasus introduces a simple practical pasture assessment and monitoring tool for resource managers. Combined with basic socio-economic information (number of livestock, herding organization, grazing management) comprehensive recommendations for sustainable pasture management can be derived to maintain and enhance the condition of pastures in the future. The approach can be adapted to various ecological and socio-economic settings and was applied in all three South Caucasian countries, e.g. AM (Sisian, Gorayk), AZ (Ismayilli, Saatli, Gakh), GE (PA of Borjomi-Kharagauli, Lagodekhi, Tusheti and Vashlovani). Initially developed as a simple physical assessment approach a combination with remote sensing and GIS technology improves the overall assessment, in particular through more accurate data and assessment opportunities.