Module 1: Foundations of Natural Resource Management and Geospatial Technologies

• Introduction to key natural resources: Forests, water, land, wildlife, minerals.
• Challenges and principles of sustainable natural resource management.
• Overview of GIS concepts: Spatial data types, coordinate systems, database management.
• Overview of Remote Sensing concepts: Spectral signatures, sensor types, image resolution.
• The synergy of GIS and Remote Sensing in addressing NRM challenges.
• Practical session: Exploring diverse natural resource datasets (vector and raster) in a GIS environment and understanding their spatial relationships.

Module 2: Remote Sensing Data for Natural Resource Mapping

• Overview of satellite missions crucial for NRM (e.g., Landsat, Sentinel, MODIS, high-resolution commercial imagery).
• Active vs. Passive sensors for NRM (e.g., optical, radar, LiDAR).
• Understanding the spectral response of different natural features.
• Data acquisition strategies and access platforms for NRM data.
• Preparing remote sensing data for NRM analysis (pre-processing overview).
• Practical session: Acquiring satellite imagery suitable for a specific NRM application (e.g., forest mapping) and examining its characteristics.

Module 3: GIS Data Models and Management for Natural Resources

• Designing geodatabases for NRM data (e.g., forestry inventory, water quality sites, protected areas).
• Data capture techniques: Digitization, GPS data integration, existing data import.
• Building and managing attribute tables for NRM features.
• Topology rules and network datasets for NRM analysis.
• Data sharing and interoperability standards in NRM.
• Practical session: Designing and creating a geodatabase schema for a natural resource (e.g., forest stands or water bodies) and populating it with sample data.

Module 4: Forest Resources Management

• Mapping forest cover and types using remote sensing image classification.
• Estimating forest parameters: Biomass, carbon stocks, stand volume.
• Monitoring deforestation, degradation, and reforestation using change detection.
• GIS for forest inventory, planning, and timber harvest management.
• Fire risk assessment and post-fire damage mapping.
• Practical session: Performing a land cover classification focused on forest types and quantifying forest cover change over time.

Module 5: Water Resources Management

• Mapping water bodies: Rivers, lakes, wetlands, floodplains.
• Remote sensing for water quality monitoring (e.g., turbidity, chlorophyll-a).
• Watershed delineation and hydrological modeling using DEMs.
• GIS for water allocation, irrigation planning, and groundwater monitoring.
• Drought monitoring and flood extent mapping using radar and optical imagery.
• Practical session: Delineating watersheds and stream networks from a Digital Elevation Model (DEM) and mapping water bodies.

Module 6: Land Resources and Soil Mapping

• Land use/land cover mapping at various scales for land management.
• Soil mapping and characterization using remote sensing and ancillary data.
• Assessing land degradation (e.g., erosion, desertification) and land productivity.
• GIS for land suitability analysis for agriculture, conservation, or development.
• Monitoring changes in agricultural land use and practices.
• Practical session: Creating a detailed land use/land cover map from satellite imagery and assessing areas prone to soil erosion.

Module 7: Wildlife and Biodiversity Monitoring

• Wildlife habitat mapping and suitability analysis using remote sensing and GIS.
• Tracking animal movements and migration corridors with GPS data.
• Identifying biodiversity hotspots and conservation priority areas.
• Monitoring threats to wildlife: Habitat fragmentation, poaching.
• Assessing the effectiveness of conservation interventions.
• Practical session: Mapping and assessing habitat suitability for a specific wildlife species using environmental layers.

Module 8: Coastal and Marine Resource Management

• Mapping coastal landforms, bathymetry, and benthic habitats (e.g., coral reefs, seagrass).
• Monitoring coastal erosion and shoreline changes.
• Remote sensing for marine pollution detection (e.g., oil spills, algal blooms).
• GIS for marine protected area planning and management.
• Assessing coastal vulnerability to sea-level rise and storm surges.
• Practical session: Delineating coastal landforms and mapping changes in shoreline position over time.

Module 9: Geological and Mineral Resources Mapping

• Using remote sensing for geological mapping: Lithology, structural features.
• Hyperspectral remote sensing for mineral alteration mapping.
• Identifying potential areas for mineral exploration.
• Mapping geohazards: Landslides, sinkholes, seismic zones.
• GIS for mineral resource inventory and mining site management.
• Practical session: Using false-color composites and spectral indices to highlight geological features or potential mineral alteration zones.

Module 10: Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA)

• Role of GIS and remote sensing in EIA and SEA processes.
• Mapping baseline environmental conditions and sensitive areas.
• Assessing potential impacts of development projects on natural resources.
• Spatial analysis for cumulative impact assessment.
• Visualizing and communicating EIA/SEA findings using geospatial tools.
• Practical session: Conducting a multi-criteria analysis to assess environmental sensitivity for a proposed development area.

Module 11: Geospatial Analysis for Conservation Planning

• Identifying conservation priorities and designing protected area networks.
• Gap analysis: Assessing coverage of protected areas relative to biodiversity.
• Connectivity analysis for wildlife corridors.
• Mapping ecosystem services and their spatial distribution.
• Using GIS for land acquisition and protected area expansion strategies.
• Practical session: Performing a connectivity analysis to identify potential wildlife corridors between protected areas.

Module 12: Fire Management and Hazard Mapping

• Using remote sensing for fire risk mapping (e.g., fuel load, vegetation moisture).
• Active fire detection and monitoring with thermal imagery.
• Post-fire burn severity mapping and impact assessment.
• GIS for fire incident management and resource allocation.
• Long-term recovery and rehabilitation planning after fires.
• Practical session: Delineating burn scars from satellite imagery and classifying burn severity.

Module 13: Geospatial Modeling for Resource Assessment

• Introduction to spatial modeling concepts for NRM.
• Predictive mapping of resource distribution (e.g., species distribution modeling).
• Suitability analysis for various land uses or conservation efforts.
• Hydrological modeling: Runoff, stream flow, water balance.
• Erosion modeling and sediment transport.
• Practical session: Building a simple habitat suitability model for a species based on environmental factors.

Module 14: Integrating Field Data with Remote Sensing and GIS

• Planning and executing GPS-based field data collection for NRM.
• Integrating mobile GIS data with remote sensing products.
• Ground-truthing and validation of remote sensing classifications and models.
• Using citizen science data for NRM monitoring.
• Data harmonization and quality control for integrated datasets.
• Practical session: Importing and integrating field-collected GPS data points with remote sensing imagery for validation or further analysis.

Module 15: Policy, Governance, and Legal Aspects of NRM

• Overview of international and national NRM policies and agreements.
• The role of geospatial information in policy formulation and enforcement.
• Land tenure and property rights mapping in NRM.
• Participatory GIS (PGIS) for community involvement in resource management.
• Legal frameworks for protected areas and resource use.
• Practical session: Analyzing the spatial distribution of resource use permits or protected area boundaries in relation to other natural features.

Module 16: Communication and Visualization of NRM Data

• Principles of effective cartography for natural resource maps.
• Designing clear, informative, and compelling maps for diverse audiences.
• Creating interactive web maps and dashboards for NRM data.
• Storytelling with maps: Communicating NRM challenges and solutions.
• Utilizing GIS for public awareness and stakeholder engagement.
• Practical session: Designing a professional-quality map visualizing a natural resource issue (e.g., deforestation, water quality) and preparing it for presentation.

Module 17: Emerging Trends in Geospatial NRM

• Cloud computing platforms for NRM (e.g., Google Earth Engine, Microsoft Planetary Computer).
• Big Data analytics for large-scale environmental monitoring.
• Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning in NRM applications.
• UAVs (Drones) for high-resolution local NRM data collection.
• Real-time monitoring and sensor networks in NRM.
• Practical session: Exploring basic functionalities of a cloud-based platform for NRM data access and analysis.

Module 18: Capstone Project: Integrated NRM Application

• Comprehensive review of all integrated GIS and remote sensing techniques for NRM.
• Guided individual or group project work on a selected, complex natural resource management challenge.
• Designing and executing an end-to-end NRM geospatial analysis workflow.
• Presenting project findings, recommendations, and policy implications.
• Discussion of future directions and career paths in geospatial NRM.
• Practical session: Participants work on a capstone project, applying learned techniques to address a specific NRM issue (e.g., assessing the impact of land use change on water quality, mapping and valuing ecosystem services, monitoring forest health in a protected area).

 Requirements:

·       Participants should be reasonably proficient in English.

·       Applicants must live up to Armstrong Global Institute admission criteria.

Terms and Conditions

1. Discounts: Organizations sponsoring Four Participants will have the 5th attend Free

2. What is catered for by the Course Fees: Fees cater for all requirements for the training – Learning materials, Lunches, Teas, Snacks and Certification. All participants will additionally cater for their travel and accommodation expenses, visa application, insurance, and other personal expenses.

3. Certificate Awarded: Participants are awarded Certificates of Participation at the end of the training.

4. The program content shown here is for guidance purposes only. Our continuous course improvement process may lead to changes in topics and course structure.

5. Approval of Course: Our Programs are NITA Approved. Participating organizations can therefore claim reimbursement on fees paid in accordance with NITA Rules.

Booking for Training

Simply send an email to the Training Officer on training@armstrongglobalinstitute.com and we will send you a registration form. We advise you to book early to avoid missing a seat to this training.

Or call us on +254720272325 / +254725012095 / +254724452588

Payment Options

We provide 3 payment options, choose one for your convenience, and kindly make payments at least 5 days before the Training start date to reserve your seat:

1. Groups of 5 People and Above – Cheque Payments to: Armstrong Global Training & Development Center Limited should be paid in advance, 5 days to the training.

2. Invoice: We can send a bill directly to you or your company.

3. Deposit directly into Bank Account (Account details provided upon request)

Cancellation Policy

1. Payment for all courses includes a registration fee, which is non-refundable, and equals 15% of the total sum of the course fee.

2. Participants may cancel attendance 14 days or more prior to the training commencement date.

3. No refunds will be made 14 days or less before the training commencement date. However, participants who are unable to attend may opt to attend a similar training course at a later date or send a substitute participant provided the participation criteria have been met.

Tailor Made Courses

This training course can also be customized for your institution upon request for a minimum of 5 participants. You can have it conducted at our Training Centre or at a convenient location. For further inquiries, please contact us on Tel: +254720272325 / +254725012095 / +254724452588 or Email training@armstrongglobalinstitute.com

Accommodation and Airport Transfer

Accommodation and Airport Transfer is arranged upon request and at extra cost. For reservations contact the Training Officer on Email: training@armstrongglobalinstitute.com or on Tel: +254720272325 / +254725012095 / +254724452588