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Nature and environment lovers from across the kingdom will be constantly updated about the types of flourishing flora and foliage in Bahrain, thanks to a new digital platform.
The Geographic Information Systems Directorate (GIS) at the Information and eGovernment Authority (iGA) launched its Botanical Atlas project recently and it was a huge attraction due to its handy services that will change the way people view the island’s plant life.
“The digital atlas was released with the aim of identifying and classifying vegetation habits, measuring vegetation health, classifying vegetation types according to height and classifying the vegetation according to their type,” said Dr Shaikha May Mohammed Al Khalifa, director of the Botanical Atlas and the GIS Directorate.
“The atlas is comprised of thematic maps pertaining to the vegetation cover in Bahrain, with various classification themes such as general plants health and the types of agricultural crops in Bahrain and their areas and locations.”
The project, which started in early 2022 and was completed in February this year, utilises satellite imagery, remote sensing techniques, field surveys and artificial intelligence (AI) to derive information.
“These technologies are employed to collect, analyse, identify and classify vegetation data in Bahrain,” she added.
“The Botanical Atlas thematic smart maps are of great importance for the community, especially agricultural researchers and decision makers in agricultural, environmental and infrastructure sectors.
“With the wealth of information and the breadth of its coverage, the community can learn more about the vegetation, such as the type of plants growing and their health, and the type of natural habitats where mangroves grow and their distribution — which is crucial information given the importance of the trees in achieving zero carbon emissions as they sequester and store large amounts of carbon dioxide.
“It would also support the sectors in assessing vegetation coverage and environmental indicators in Bahrain to provide informed decision making.”
The pilot phase was launched during the Bahrain International Garden Show (BIGS) and the official website will be available and fully accessible to the public during the second or third quarter of this year.
“The Bahrain International Garden Show is the most important event that showcases the advancement in agriculture, and it was an excellent occasion to showcase this project and to reach out to the agricultural and environmental community from the decision/ policy makers and the public,” shared Dr Shaikha May.
This is not the first time that the GIS Directorate and iGA unveiled a project during BIGS.
The Bahrain Soil Mapping project, which focuses on mapping the soil in terms of its physical and chemical properties, was launched in 2019, along with the report of the ‘Monitoring Progress towards the Implementation of Targets and Indicators of the Sixth Sustainable Development Goals in Bahrain’.
Other projects being undertaken by the GIS Directorate, which are in multi-sectorial fields, include the Benayat system (the national system for building permits) and the Tasareeh system; with continued efforts to support, upgrade and improve the systems as well as providing support in the field of Geospatial technology to various government entities.
“The GIS Directorate also undertakes remote sensing and GIS projects, and we are currently focusing on utilising artificial intelligence in the field of remote sensing, with an interest on environmental studies,” said Dr Shaikha May.
“IGA is always keen to provide world-class GIS projects and ICT projects that support the national directions to achieve the sustainable development goals.”
For details, follow @igabahrain on Instagram.
