{"id":659332,"date":"2024-04-02T19:59:01","date_gmt":"2024-04-03T02:59:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/about\/newsroom\/?post_type=arcnews&#038;p=659332"},"modified":"2024-03-27T14:06:43","modified_gmt":"2024-03-27T21:06:43","slug":"arcgis-supports-species-conservation-in-eastern-south-africas-nature-reserves","status":"publish","type":"arcnews","link":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/about\/newsroom\/arcnews\/arcgis-supports-species-conservation-in-eastern-south-africas-nature-reserves","title":{"rendered":"ArcGIS Supports Species Conservation in Eastern South Africa\u2019s Nature Reserves"},"author":5752,"featured_media":0,"menu_order":0,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"sync_status":"","episode_type":"","audio_file":"","castos_file_data":"","podmotor_file_id":"","cover_image":"","cover_image_id":"","duration":"","filesize":"","filesize_raw":"","date_recorded":"","explicit":"","block":"","itunes_episode_number":"","itunes_title":"","itunes_season_number":"","itunes_episode_type":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[465131,422802,1031],"tags":[472171,1301,472641,280172,279592],"arcnews_issues":[488602],"class_list":["post-659332","arcnews","type-arcnews","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-arcgis-field-maps","category-conservation","category-natural-resources","tag-arcgis-survey123","tag-biodiversity","tag-endangered-species","tag-geospatial","tag-preservation","arcnews_issues-spring-2024","arcnews_sections-your-work"],"acf":{"short_description":"Endangered species in a South Africa province are protected with the help of ArcGIS Survey123 and ArcGIS Field Maps.","pdf":{"host_remotely":false,"file":"","file_url":""},"flexible_content":[{"acf_fc_layout":"content","content":"In the Nguni languages of southern Africa, the word \u201cmpumalanga\u201d means \u201cthe place where the sun rises.\u201d It\u2019s a fitting name for the South Africa province of Mpumalanga\u2014both in terms of its location near Africa\u2019s eastern coast and as a region of optimism in the wake of apartheid.\r\n\r\nA place of ancient human archaeological history and rich agricultural, mining, and tourism resources, Mpumalanga is known for its magnificent scenery, tribal legends, and colorful gold rush stories from the late 1800s. But Mpumalanga also has rich biodiversity and incredible value as a home to many species that can only be found there."},{"acf_fc_layout":"image","image":659402,"image_position":"center","orientation":"horizontal","hyperlink":""},{"acf_fc_layout":"content","content":"Many of these species are protected in Mpumalanga\u2019s extensive nature reserves. These species include Barberton sugarbush (a flowering plant threatened by mining activity), Sim\u2019s spotted aloe (another plant, threatened by road construction), and Treur River barb (a river fish that has overcome displacement by exotic fish species and gold mining).\r\n\r\nMpumalanga is also home to more than 300 species of flora and fauna that are officially classified as vulnerable, endangered, or critically endangered. More than 300 others are classified as species of conservation concern. This makes identifying and locating their ranges vital so that they can receive the conservation attention needed to ensure their protection."},{"acf_fc_layout":"content","content":"<h2>GIS-Fueled Conservation in Mpumalanga Province<\/h2>\r\nAs a biodiversity planner and GIS manager for the Mpumalanga Tourism &amp; Parks Agency, Mervyn L\u00f6tter supports a commitment to conserve and protect all animal and plant species in the province. In this effort, L\u00f6tter faces an uphill challenge, albeit with some powerful GIS tools.\r\n\r\nSurveying the local environment and building awareness of it is central to L\u00f6tter\u2019s work as he manages his organization\u2019s spatial databases and GIS. He also coordinates the collection of species data being gathered by scientists in the field using ArcGIS Survey123 and ArcGIS Field Maps."},{"acf_fc_layout":"image","image":659372,"image_position":"center","orientation":"horizontal","hyperlink":""},{"acf_fc_layout":"content","content":"With this information, L\u00f6tter runs a systematic conservation plan for Mpumalanga and brings together all spatial data on species, ecosystems, threats, and areas currently under protection. This field data is included in the agency\u2019s conservation plan, where conservation targets are set and progress is assessed. When targets fall short, additional areas are prioritized for conservation."},{"acf_fc_layout":"image","image":659362,"image_position":"center","orientation":"horizontal","hyperlink":""},{"acf_fc_layout":"content","content":"<h2>Partnerships, Scholarships, and Collaboration<\/h2>\r\nHaving reliable and detailed GIS information is essential for attracting partnerships, building public support, and securing financial support in a part of the world where conservation funding is often scarce, L\u00f6tter said. He noted that the way data is presented can matter as much as the data itself, and that maps and web apps are effective tools to convey important messages."},{"acf_fc_layout":"image","image":659382,"image_position":"center","orientation":"horizontal","hyperlink":""},{"acf_fc_layout":"content","content":"\u201cIf you want your products used and you want [them] to be considered by municipalities and the like, then you need to make the data available in a format that they can use and access and understand,\u201d L\u00f6tter said."},{"acf_fc_layout":"image","image":659392,"image_position":"center","orientation":"horizontal","hyperlink":""},{"acf_fc_layout":"content","content":"Education and industry collaboration have also been key to L\u00f6tter\u2019s GIS efforts. After starting his career at the Mpumalanga Tourism &amp; Parks Agency as a botanist in the mid-1990s, L\u00f6tter learned about GIS as a way to predict the distribution of plant species. In 2011, he joined 16 other recipients in a scholarship program offered by the Esri-supported <a href=\"https:\/\/scgis.org\/\">Society for Conservation GIS<\/a> (SCGIS), a nonprofit organization that helps scholars from developing countries access GIS training.\r\n\r\n\u201cNo other training event has had such a positive impact on my life, ever,\u201d L\u00f6tter said.\r\n\r\nThere was still plenty to learn, though, and L\u00f6tter\u2019s ongoing need for education found a ready resource in <a href=\"https:\/\/community.esri.com\/\">Esri Community<\/a>, a global online community of Esri users where members can find solutions, share ideas, and collaborate to solve problems with GIS.\r\n\r\n\u201cI would never have been able to learn to use GIS to its full potential on my own,\u201d L\u00f6tter said. \u201cThrough the Esri Community, you\u2019re much more able to reach out to a broader network to get their advice, their support, and learn from where others are stumbling.\u201d\r\n\r\nL\u00f6tter described Esri Community\u2019s role in supporting GIS professionals by quoting an African proverb: \u201cIf you want to run fast, run alone. But if you want to run far, run together.\u201d"},{"acf_fc_layout":"content","content":"<h2>Giving and the Spirit of Ubuntu<\/h2>\r\nNow nearly three decades into his conservation work, L\u00f6tter\u2019s community-mindedness is reflected in hundreds of Esri Community messages and responses. An SCGIS board member for the last decade, he is now a GIS trainer for the <a href=\"https:\/\/scgis.org\/training\">SCGIS Global Scholarship<\/a> program and the SCGIS <a href=\"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/about\/newsroom\/arcnews\/train-the-trainer\/\">Train-the-Trainer<\/a> program for scholars who are selected for additional training to become certified instructors.\r\n\r\nL\u00f6tter captured his philosophy about giving back to the GIS community by sharing another African term\u2014\u201dUbuntu,\u201d which he translated as \u201ctaking care and having care and concern for your neighbors or your community.\u201d\r\n\r\n\u201cYou can\u2019t do everything on your own,\u201d L\u00f6tter said of the GIS community. \u201cWe need to help and support others.\u201d"}],"references":null},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v25.9 (Yoast SEO v25.9) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>ArcGIS Supports Species Conservation in Eastern 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