Title

UOG drone missions in Palau provide maps to more efficiently monitor invasive rhino beetle

Relevance

{"ops":[{"attributes":{"background":"white","color":"#242424"},"insert":"The Guam Department of Agriculture’s Biosecurity Division estimates at least 25% of Guam’s coconut trees have sustained damage from the invasive coconut rhinoceros beetle. Other islands of Micronesia are facing this threat as well — one being Palau. While Palau is not affected by the beetle as badly as it has been in the past, local natural resource managers are looking for more efficient ways to keep an eye on the CRB population and prevent a resurgence."},{"insert":"\n\n"},{"attributes":{"background":"white","color":"#242424"},"insert":"The coconut palm is a strong symbol of livelihood across the Pacific, and damage to the trees from the rhino beetles impacts those who rely on native coconut palms for sustenance and crafting resources and, consequently, the economy."},{"insert":"\n"}]}

Response

{"ops":[{"attributes":{"background":"white","color":"#242424"},"insert":"University of Guam graduate student Mira Mariur, who is originally from Palau and is studying sustainable agriculture and natural resources, wanted to see how advanced technology could help protect Palau from CRB damage. She made this the focus of her master’s thesis, under Land Grant research faculty at the University of Guam’s Western Pacific Tropical Research Center, and was able to make Palau-based research possible, supported by a Climate Adaptation for Resource Management fellowship."},{"insert":"\n\n"},{"attributes":{"background":"white","color":"#242424"},"insert":"While drone technology is not new to Palau, the concept of utilizing advanced technology to aid natural resource management is emerging across Micronesia, especially as climate change is starting to have a heavier impact on the Pacific islands."},{"insert":"\n\n"},{"attributes":{"background":"white","color":"#242424"},"insert":"Together with a team of UOG students and WPTRC research faculty involved with the Pacific Islands Climate Adaptation Science Center (PI-CASC), NASA Guam Space Grant, and the NASA Guam Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR), Mariur embarked on remote piloting missions in Palau."},{"insert":"\n\n"},{"attributes":{"color":"#242424"},"insert":"Mariur and her Palau-based supervisor — Dr. Christopher Kitalong with Palau Community College’s extension service — picked out areas that would most likely have visible impacts to record. She then guided the UOG Drone Corps, a program of NASA Guam Space Grant, to six sites to deploy unmanned aerial vehicles and take imagery from Oct. 6 to Oct. 9, 2023."},{"insert":"\n"}]}

Results

{"ops":[{"attributes":{"background":"white","color":"#242424"},"insert":"The team’s photos have since been processed and stitched together to create orthomosaic RGB maps. The drone surveying and imagery captured a wide amount of data in a short amount of time — and in places that could not be reached on foot."},{"insert":"\n\n"},{"attributes":{"background":"white","color":"#242424"},"insert":"These aerial imagery datasets are now available to view upon request at "},{"attributes":{"background":"white","color":"black","link":"http://www.uog.edu/nasa-guam-space-grant/information#Resources"},"insert":"www.uog.edu/nasa-guam-space-grant/information#Resources"},{"attributes":{"background":"white","color":"#242424"},"insert":". The maps produced from this mission will help Palau’s officials and natural resource managers prioritize sites most vulnerable to CRB and will give them a baseline to see what control methods are effective."},{"attributes":{"background":"white","color":"#242424","bold":true},"insert":" "},{"insert":"\n\n"},{"attributes":{"background":"white","color":"#242424"},"insert":"With a connection now established between the University of Guam and the Palau Community College in the advanced technologies realm, more discussions are being held to further collaborate on other invasive species and environmental issues. "},{"attributes":{"background":"white","color":"black"},"insert":"This project also leads the way for more students from Micronesian islands outside of and including Guam to become PI-CASC CARM "},{"attributes":{"background":"white","color":"#242424"},"insert":"fellows "},{"attributes":{"background":"white","color":"black"},"insert":"and lead projects like this to benefit their islands."},{"insert":"\n"}]}

Public Value Statement

{"ops":[{"attributes":{"background":"white","color":"#242424"},"insert":"The coconut palm is a strong symbol of livelihood across the Pacific, and damage to the trees from the rhino beetles impacts those who rely on native coconut palms for sustenance and crafting resources and, consequently, the economy."},{"insert":"\n\n"},{"attributes":{"background":"white","color":"#242424"},"insert":"While drone technology is not new to Palau, the concept of utilizing advanced technology to aid natural resource management is emerging across Micronesia, especially as climate change is starting to have a heavier impact on the Pacific islands."},{"insert":"\n"}]}

Primary Focus Area

Environmental Stewardship

Secondary Focus Area

Agricultural Systems

Impact Statement