Gró Lind, a project to monitor Iceland’s soil and vegetation resources through remote sensing data, is asking the public for help.
Jóhann Helgi Stefánsson, an environmental scientist and project manager at GróLind, says the project will allow “people to monitor the land in an organized way, see the results of reforestation, see vegetation development, and directly interact with the environment. It’s an opportunity to make an impact.” It is the knowledge that we create every day. ”
GróLind land monitoring started in 2019. This project investigates sheep grazing patterns and how vegetation develops on grazed and protected land, among other research goals.
The project is currently recruiting citizen volunteers to help collect further data. Volunteers use the app to monitor small plots of land across the country in addition to some basic training. Using poles provided by Landgræðslan, the Land Reclamation Foundation of Iceland, a volunteer marks the center of an area 50 m in diameter and reports his findings to Gró Lind.
Combined with other systems such as satellite imagery, the data are expected to contribute to the overall picture of land use in Iceland.
Those interested in volunteering are encouraged to watch the educational videos provided on Landgræðslan’s YouTube channel or visit GróLind’s website.
Citizen Scientists Wanted to Monitor Land was first published in the Iceland Review.
