Arid Lands Newsletter

May-June 2002,
Issue No. 51

ISSN:
1092-5481

Using geospatial technologies to understand dryland dynamics

Katherine Waser, Editor
Office of Arid Lands Studies
The University of Arizona

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

About the cover image

Editor's note:
Geospatial technologies: Tools for understanding complex systems
by Katherine Waser

Remote sensing of urban ecology at the Central Arizona-Phoenix Long Term Ecological Research Site
by William L. Stefanov

Monitoring playa systems using remote sensing: Methods and applications
by Robert G. Bryant

Mapping groundwater recharge and discharge zones in the Kalahari: A remote sensing approach
by Heike Klock and Peter Udluft

Using remote sensing and indigenous knowledge for management of ephemeral surface water
by Eric Patrick

Monitoring dust storms and mapping landscape vulnerability to wind erosion using satellite and ground-based digital images
by Pat S. Chavez, Jr., David J. Mackinnon, Richard L. Reynolds, and Miguel G. Velasco

Using geospatial technologies to understand prehistoric human/landscape interaction in arid Australia
by Patricia C. Fanning and Simon J. Holdaway

Briefly noted:
Selected resources of interest
compiled by Katherine Waser
Selected news of interest
annotated by Katherine Waser

CALL FOR PAPERS

The November/December 2002 issue of the Arid Lands Newsletter, ALN No. 52, will focus on the theme of "Using geospatial technologies to develop participatory tools for natural resources management."

Remote sensing and Geographic Information Systems offer powerful tools for researchers, but if their full potential is ever to be reached, they also need to be used to produce participatory tools that include serious input from, and that can easily be used by, "on-the-ground" land managers, stakeholders, and residents of arid lands. In other words, such tools would help promote "bottom-up" rather than "top-down" management and use of resources. What is being done to enable this to happen? Case studies of projects in which such participatory tools are being actively developed are particularly welcome, as are articles exploring development of community-based tools (for example, participatory GIS or PPGIS).

Proposals for papers, comments, suggestions for possible authors, suggestions for resources (web, paper, CD-ROM etc.) to be included, etc. are welcome. Please send your suggestions to Katherine Waser, Editor, Arid Lands Newsletter.