DOD develops sound monitoring efforts.Ever wonder what the Department of Defense uses its high-tech surveillance equipment for? Most would answer, "To gather intelligence on a particular target." And this would be true, especially if the surveillance subject is a threatened or endangered species endangered species, any plant or animal species whose ability to survive and reproduce has been jeopardized by human activities. In 1999 the U.S. government, in accordance with the U.S. . Although training and testing are the military's primary missions, DoD (like all federal agencies) is guided by a variety of environmental laves. including the Endangered Species Act The federal Endangered Species Act of 1973 (ESA) (16 U.S.C.A. §§ 1531 et seq.) was enacted to protect animal and plant species from extinction by preserving the ecosystems in which they survive and by providing programs for their conservation. . DoD policy states: "The Department of Defense shall act responsibly in the public interest in managing its lands and natural resources." It goes on to say, "Natural resources under control of the Department of Defense shall be managed to support the military mission...." (1) DoD lands harbor more listed species per acre than any other federal lands. This is likely due to such factors as restricted access, limited on-base development, increasing growth and development on adjacent lands, and the successful implementation of Integrated Natural Resources Management Plans. Additionally, DoD lands have been more intensively surveyed than many federal lands, so it may simply be that the data are more complete. Knowing what's on What's On (Traditional Chinese: 熒幕八爪娛) is a weekly half-hour TV series that airs on Fairchild Television. Format Originally started in 1996, the show is currently the longest-running program in Fairchild Television history. its lands is a high priority for DoD and the dedicated natural resource personnel who manage those resources. Acoustic Monitoring Not surprisingly, imperiled animals frequently take up residence in live-fire ranges and other areas that are inaccessible inaccessible Surgery adjective Unreachable; referring to a lesion that unmanageable by standard surgical techniques–eg, lesions deep in the brain or adjacent to vital structures–ie, not accessible. See Accessible. to ground personnel. Although access restrictions provide excellent protection, they also pose unique challenges to DoD's species management activities, not the least of which is obtaining reliable inventory and monitoring data. To combat this challenge, DoD's Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program (SERDP SERDP Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program ) has invested millions of dollars to develop acoustic monitoring technologies that operate independently of human presence. With funding from SERDP, researchers have developed digital acoustic recording tags and airborne monitoring systems, among other technologies, that allow DoD land managers to remotely infiltrate infiltrate /in·fil·trate/ (in-fil´trat) 1. to penetrate the interstices of a tissue or substance. 2. the material or solution so deposited. in·fil·trate v. 1. restricted areas and extract valuable data on threatened and endangered species. The acoustic technologies developed through SERDP record animal sounds autonomously over extended periods, digitize To convert an image or signal into digital code by scanning, tracing on a graphics tablet or using an analog to digital conversion device. 3D objects can be digitized by a device with a mechanical arm that is moved onto all the corners. the resulting data, and use it to calculate species density and track migration patterns. Personnel are now using acoustic technologies to track the presence, abundance, and movement of all sorts of listed species. This information provides natural resource managers a baseline against which to measure population size. density, and fluctuations. DoD personnel can then more effectively prioritize pri·or·i·tize v. pri·or·i·tized, pri·or·i·tiz·ing, pri·or·i·tiz·es Usage Problem v.tr. To arrange or deal with in order of importance. v.intr. management actions and allocate scarce resources. Successful Results The acoustic monitoring investments of SERDP are beginning to pay off. At Fort Hood Fort Hood, U.S. army post, 209,000 acres (84,580 hectares), central Tex., near Killeen; est. 1942 on the site of old Fort Gates and named for Confederate Gen. John Hood. It is one of the army's largest installations and a major employer of the area. , Texas, personnel can track endangered en·dan·ger tr.v. en·dan·gered, en·dan·ger·ing, en·dan·gers 1. To expose to harm or danger; imperil. 2. To threaten with extinction. birds on inaccessible bombing and artillery ranges through mobile, airborne, and long-term recording and monitoring. At sea. the Navy is gaining a greater awareness of marine mammal A marine mammal is a mammal that is primarily ocean-dwelling or depends on the ocean for its food. Mammals originally evolved on land, but later marine mammals evolved to live back in the ocean. behavior thanks to information provided by digital acoustic recording tags attached to diving whales. The military anticipates significant reductions in monitoring costs through the use of inexpensive autonomous monitoring equipment and the reduced need for personnel-based ground surveys. It continues to invest in autonomous detection and tracking technologies so that DoD personnel can base their management on "sound" intelligence. (1) Source: DoD's policy on natural resources, http://www.dtic.mil/whs/directives/corres/ htm12/d4700qx.htm. Alison Dalsimer is a Senior Conservation and Resource Specialist with HydroGeoLogic, Inc. (703-736-4570; adalsimer@hgl.com). John Thigpen is the Deputy Program Manager Assistant for SERDP's Sustainable Infrastructure Initiative (703-326-7822://jthibpen@hgl.com |
|
||||||||||||||||||
Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion