Preserving reef catchments
The protection and restoration of our natural resources is a key part of ensuring our coastal environments can thrive. Through innovative solutions and community engagement, Reef Catchments Limited helps to protect waterways, conserve biodiversity, and promote sustainable practices.
Their holistic approach ensures the preservation of the Great Barrier Reef and surrounding areas, fostering a healthier environment for future generations while supporting local communities and industries.
This is why we are proud to be working with Reef Catchments, who work with local communities in the Mackay, Whitsunday, and Isaac regions of Australia to develop natural resource management solutions.
Reef Catchments work with landholders and other stakeholders to help improve the health of water, waterways, and wetlands, improving biodiversity and pest management practices while enhancing productivity. This work is aimed at having a positive impact on the jewel of Queensland’s crown, the Great Barrier Reef.
Reef Catchments are a Natural Resource Management authority, responsible for reporting to Governments, landholders, and other community members/groups.
A better workflow with GeoNadir
Reef Catchments has been using drones for the past couple of years, and they knew the potential of Earth observation data from drones could greatly improve their projects, but the use of this data was a challenge in the following ways:
- The workflow from data capture to processing to analysing and sharing was challenging.
- Storage of data was becoming problematic.
- The existing software they were using had a steep learning curve for non-technical users.
GeoNadir appealed to them because it solved these issues and provided not only its drone pilot with a simplified workflow, but also their data analysts an easy way to export the data into a GIS using the tile mapping service link or download feature, and a user-friendly way to share data with non-technical stakeholders via projects.
Expert onboarding support
Since working with Reef Catchments, GeoNadir has onboarded their team members who are capturing the drone data to make sure that the data captured is of the highest possible quality. GeoNadir worked with their team using and analysing the data, making sure they know how to best utilise the data in the ArcGIS platform by using the GeoNadir tile mapping service link, which streams the data right into the GIS – no downloading of data required.
One of the main use cases for Reef Catchments is monitoring the change over time of their project sites. One of these sites is a wetland where they are developing nature-based solutions to improve the quality of water entering our waterways, and connect them through the landscape.
The use of GeoNadir to manage the drone data for this project has provided Reef Catchments with a huge shift in efficiency of its workflow in not only managing the drone data, but also an easier way to sharethe data with others in the team and stakeholders. The ability to share datasets using the GeoNadir projects feature, without having to use a GIS, is a super user-friendly way for non-technical data users.
Morgan's experience working with us
Morgan, a Project Officer in the Conservation and Communities team uses GeoNadir for his work every week and noted that since using GeoNadir he has found it much simpler to use than other drone processing systems, and the tools inside GeoNadir for analysing, sharing, and exporting data speed up his workflow.
As a not-for-profit, having tools that are not only cost effective but also efficient for staff who have multiple responsibilities is an absolute must.
“GeoNadir has been incredibly intuitive for me to use, making it a real asset for us as an organisation, as we are not bogged down in trying to learn the back end of a program from scratch. I just love the simplicity of the program from a user perspective. The system is set out clearly and in a way that makes it easy for us to share data across the organisation.
Likewise, if I were to run into any concerns, or did have any questions, it was incredibly easy to get in touch with the team and get support from Paul. I don’t think I’ve ever experienced such active support for a program in my career yet, which has made it that much more appealing. Paul and the team have also been investigating how people use it, and regularly reach out to us, to ensure that the product matches what we use it for, which gets me excited to see where the program will be in the coming months.”
GeoNadir is proud to be able to work with Reef Catchments and support the amazing work that they do to preserve and improve the health of our reefs.
