UK data company Environment Systems has developed a tool called SENCE (Spatial Evidence for Natural Capital Evaluation) that provides maps and statistics of the natural stocks that provide ecosystem services – including geology, soil, air, water and all living things. Created using data from the Copernicus Sentinel-1 and -2 missions, as well as commercially available satellite imagery, these maps and statistics show land use, habitats and vegetation structure; this is particularly useful for places that are remote, dangerous or expensive for humans to access and take ground measurements.
SENCE shows where the environment is working well, indicates how we can use the environment to our advantage, and supports decision making on the best sites for new activities and developments. For example, the tool has been used to assess the risk to human life from storm surges and flooding for five UK Overseas Territories; optical and radar satellite imagery was used to map terrain, the depth of coastal waters and the terrestrial vegetation in order to produce a storm surge risk model. It was found that coral reefs and mangroves are particularly important for counteracting wave energy and reducing the impact of storms; this informed restoration priorities and helped policymakers come up with practical solutions.
Overall, SENCE enables decision makers to monitor natural stocks, visualise and estimate the impact of any changes to the environment, and plan and deliver land management action for sustainable development.