The Southern Africa Fire Network

Principal Investigators:

Diane Davies, Chris Justice, David Roy (SDSU), Pauline Dube (University of Botswana)

The Department of Geography is a key partner in the Southern African Fire Network (SAFNet), providing technical support in the area of satellite remote sensing and geospatial data management. SAFNet is a GOFC/GOLD regional network that fosters collaborative efforts in fire monitoring and management in southern Africa. UMD's contribution to the SAFNet initiative is supported by NASA’s Land Cover and Land Use Change (LCLUC) Program, NASA ESE Applications, and USAID’s Environmental Information Management System (EMIS) program. SAFNet is affiliated with the Global Fire Monitoring Center, Air Pollution Information Network, Satellite Applications Center and SADC Food Agriculture and Natural Resources Development unit.

Fire is prevalent throughout southern Africa with local to regional impacts on land use, productivity, carrying capacity, and biodiversity. Fire also causes regional to global impacts on hydrologic, biogeochemical, and atmospheric processes. These impacts are not well understood and are complicated by rapid and substantial social, economic, and environmental changes across southern Africa.

To promote positive, and avoid negative impacts, fire needs to be managed wisely. This in turn requires access to reliable information on fire. Much of this information can be provided by field observations and remote sensing technology. Maximizing the use of this information requires strong links between the data providers and data users. The Department is supporting SAFNet to strengthen these links and promote proactive fire management in southern Africa.

SAFNet’s goal is to achieve more effective and appropriate fire management policies and practices in southern Africa through the use of remote sensing and other geospatial information technology. Its purpose is to enhance the use of information from field observations and remote sensing of fires for natural resource management in southern Africa.

SAFNet Objectives are to:
• Promote the use of validated remote sensing and geospatial information in southern Africa;
• Facilitate fire-related natural resource management at regional, national and community levels;
• Provide a forum for informed communication on fire related issues within the region;
• Communicate regional fire needs at the international level (via GOFC/GOLD);
• Collate and disseminate regional fire information, data and best practices for field observations;
• Link with existing fire and other appropriate networks.

SAFNet members include managers of National Parks, Government Forest fire sectors, regional NGOs, Community Based Organizations, independent consultants, University and research bodies in southern Africa. A strong international link through GOFC-GOLD provides exposure to existing international data archives, new technologies and external expertise in fire issues.

For more information visit http://safnet.umd.edu.