Precious Coral Monitoring -Reply

[Lauretta Burke]

Cindy,

I am a research analyst, specializing in environmental applications of
geographic information systems (GIS) with the World Resources Institute
(WRI) in Washington, DC.   We have a global project examining potential
pressures on coral reefs called Reefs at Risk.  The goal of the project is
to develop a preliminary index, which will be presented in map form,
depicting relative potential pressure (or risk) to major coral reefs of the
world.  

The analysis will rely upon the use of proxies as indicators of indirect
pressures on coral reefs.  The indirect pressures that we wish to
evaluate include nearby coastal development, over-exploitation of reef
resources, marine-based pollution and sedimentation from upstream
(inland) land use.  The proxies we are planning on using are based on
data on population density, locations of built-up areas, airports, ports,
tourism sites, shipping lanes, and oil rigs.  The proxies related to
upstream land use will be evaluated by watershed, and will be based
upon deforestation estimates for the area, slope, peak monthly
precipitation and land cover within the watershed.  Underlying datasets
will be primarily at a 1:1 million to 1:5 million scale (1 km.  to 5 km.
resolution).

We are also interested in qualitative information on the condition of coral
reefs globally, where available.  Out main collaborators for this project
are ICLARM in the Philippines and the World Conservation Monitoring
Centre (WCMC) in the U.K.

A draft methodology for the project has been developed and is currently
being reviewed.  We are in the process of implementing the methodology
for a pilot area in East Africa.

Feel free to contact me if you wish to get more details.

Lauretta Burke

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>>> Cindy Hunter <cindyh at hawaii.edu> 05/15/97 06:52pm >>>wrote:

The Hawaii State Division of Aquatic Resources is interested in knowing
what kinds of precious coral monitoring studies or programs might
currently be in effect on a global basis. If you are involved in or know of
such studies, would you kindly contact me? I will pass the information on
to them.

Thanks,
Cindy Hunter