Approaches to utilising QuickBird data for the monitoring of NATURA 2000 habitats

The implementation of standardised methods for the monitoring of NATURA 2000 sites in Europe is still a key topic in environmental research. Effective, economically priced and, as far as possible, automated applications are required. Rapidly developing sensor technology together with advanced image processing methods offer new possibilities for application of remote sensing data to NATURA 2000 monitoring. The studies presented here combine commonly available GIS data, such as Biotope Type Maps or Forestry Site Maps with remote sensing classifications of the very high spatial resolution (VHSR) QuickBird sensor. Two knowledge-based approaches under inclusion of a priori object-based information are utilised to detect the extent of habitats as well as their quality according to the German NATURA 2000 mapping guidelines. While one method used a segmentation of forested sites in Bavaria (southern Germany), the second technique applied available objects to classify heathland habitats in the Brandenburg Region (northern Germany). The results were subsequently compared, in close cooperation with local environmental authorities, with habitats mapped terrestrially for NATURA 2000 management plans. These results indicate that different remote sensing methods can be a valuable support for terrestrial mapping. Woodland habitats can be detected and specific NATURA 2000 quality parameters (e. g., percentage of natural forest types) are recognisable. In the case of heath-dominated sites, terrestrial mapping can even be replaced by remote sensing of certain habitat types for which it is also possible to obtain adequate measures of quality. Having evaluated the quality of forest and heathland NATURA 2000 habitats, two general challenges when implementing the guideline regionally could be indicated. Firstly, the very general scope of the Habitats Directive contradicts to specific local protection purposes. Secondly, the protection aims given for NATURA 2000 areas are very static. The Directive could be improved by adapting existing management and conservation strategies to pro-actively respond on likely anthropogenic influences.